


Tainted Love

by gold_3745



Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Anal Sex, Bondage, Canon Divergence, Confessions, Copious flirting, Darkspawn AU, Darkspawn!Eleven, El's rude now!, Knifeplay, Loss of a limb, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Mentions of alcohol, Misguided protagonist, Mixed Signals, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Plenty of Snark, Recreational use of a butt plug, Sword Injuries, Trust Issues, consensual bossing around, depictions of blood, hidden bondage, it's smut hours, lots of dread, misuse of a command spell, oh no feelings what are those
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:15:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 37,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22940848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gold_3745/pseuds/gold_3745
Summary: The day came and went with too much fanfare for El’s taste. He was finally of age, and it was time to get as far from here as he could. Cobblestone wasn’t a bad place to grow up if you liked the boring countryside, but El… El was different.AKA, A Darkspawn AU.
Relationships: Camus | Erik/Hero | Luminary (Dragon Quest XI)
Comments: 50
Kudos: 67





	1. Don’t Think Anybody’s Gonna Miss Me Anyway

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome! This is the beginning of a lovely project I've been working on with my good friend Ska1an (Ace) for quite a while now! I've always loved the "what if" of El actually being the "Darkspawn" from the beginning, just a poor kid influenced by the forces of evil to the point of total corruption. Fun! We wrote this in sort of a back and forth "rp style" in where Ace wrote Erik and I wrote El. 
> 
> The E rating will make sense next chapter, this one's got plenty of smut, and it's gonna get a little kinky at times. You've been fairly warned. Full disclosure it's all consensual, just two dudes being bad together with some eventual feelings slipped in because _hey_ , you know who you're dealing with here, friends.
> 
> Just a little disclaimer that we've aged El up to 18 per "coming-of-age" in a modern sense.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and enjoy! Let us know what you think! <3

The day came and went with too much fanfare for El’s taste. He was finally of age, and it was time to get as far from here as he could. Cobblestone wasn’t a bad place to grow up if you liked the boring countryside, but El… El was different. 

He’d gotten into plenty of trouble as a kid. Amber felt like she was constantly apologizing to villagers for things her son had broken, stolen, or burned. She cursed Chalky’s grave for teaching that boy magic. Yet he was still her boy, and she loved him dearly despite his tendencies to act out.

Eleven left without so much as a goodbye, flipping off his hometown as he rode away toward Heliodor with a satchel, some pocket change, and not much else. He looked down at the mark on his left hand, and pulled a glove over it with a grimace. Legends called it the ‘mark of light’, but he was no Luminary.

Heliodor was much larger than Cobblestone, and it was much easier to steal from people when you didn’t know them. After a few successful scores he got too confident. He stole from the wrong person, got caught, and suddenly he was running. Reaching a dead end in the unfamiliar city, he whirled around and looked for something to climb. 

Another downside to the city was that they weren’t even a fraction as forgiving as his hometown when caught. He soon found himself tossed into Heliodor castle’s dungeons. He wondered if that was a new record, not even six hours in this new place and he was already locked away in the darkest, dampest corner they could throw him in.

_________________

Erik had been told years ago to go retrieve the Red Orb from Heliodor and meet the Luminary deep underground, although he had been warned by the same prophet to be cautious of this figure, this savior of Erdrea. He really started to think it was just a fever dream he had while drowning before being thrust onto the shore and picked up by his then new friend. A vision forged by the values of a fevered boy seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Yet as he finished digging his escape tunnel and way out, guards trudged down the hallway with a loud clatter. Hendrik and his men shoved a singular boy into the cell across from his, one that caught the little thief's attention. There was something off about him, an evil aura radiating around him.

After Hendrik left, Erik stood up and addressed him against his better judgement. "Hey kid, what are you down here for? It takes a lot for someone to end up with free room and board down here."

El looked over from where he had taken a seat against the wall, peering over at whoever was talking to him. He was small, smaller than El at least, and his face was mostly concealed by a hood pulled up over his head. His shirt hung open, laces loose and left little to the imagination. El wondered what someone like him was doing down here. He didn’t look dangerous. Then again, he probably didn’t, either.

It didn’t matter why. The fact that he immediately started asking him questions was kind of annoying. Why did he need to know? El crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his chin up at the stranger. “Stealing from some snobby aristocrat, why do you care?” 

Erik could feel him staring, and his voice had a pointed edge to it when he spoke. "Something feels different about you, plus stealing from the rich usually doesn't land you all the way down here. It's stealing from the royals." Erik kicked aside his mat, showing the hole underneath.

"Nice meeting you, but I got places to be."

El saw the escape hatch the stranger was hiding and panicked. He needed to get out of here, and this guy was his fastest way out if he could convince him to help.

“Wait.” El stood up, eyes almost glowing in the dim light. “Take me with you. I’ll make it worth your while.”

The Luminary card was the one in his deck he didn’t want to have to play. Aside from a general distaste for the title, he hated the fact that people seemed to fawn over him for simply flashing his marked hand and doing a pretty light trick with it. People were idiots.

Erik huffed and crossed his arms, about to argue when a guard came down the hall. As he approached Erik’s cell with a bowl of unidentifiable food, Erik reached through the bars and knocked him out cold. He fished the keys off him and unlocked his cell, confidently striding down the hall to grab their things. He slowly walked up to El's cell and watched him as he unlocked the door. "It's only cause that guard came along when he d-" 

El dragged him into his cell and pinned him up against the wall to get a better look at him. Erik watched his hood quickly get removed from his head and met Eleven's eyes with a curious expression. "Wh-"

He stared back at Erik’s bright blue eyes, for once nothing snarky at the ready. His new friend was rather good-looking.

Just then, they heard footsteps at the end of the hall, no doubt another guard checking up on his currently knocked-out buddy. Erik pushed El away and shot up, quickly grabbing the earlier guard’s sword and preparing himself for a fight. The guard rushed at the duo when he saw they were freed. After some deft work the guard lay on the ground, groaning as he passed out.

Erik grabbed his stuff, smiling at the things he missed. El strapped his sword on and followed Erik down the hole in the floor, but not before sticking one of the guards in the back with his sword. Payback felt good.

They crept around the underground labyrinth looking for a way out and taking out guards here and there as they went. Erik watched El's eyes glow purple as they navigated, finally stopping him at one point and pinning him against the wall when he wouldn’t answer any of Erik’s questions. 

"Who are you?"

El winced as his back was pressed into the stone wall. This guy was stronger than he looked. El tipped his chin up in an act of defiance, scowl on his face. "No one important. Who are _you_?" He leaned forward as much as he could with a sneer. 

Erik was not one to be easily intimidated especially by whoever this guy thought he was. "No one important eith-" A glimmer caught his eye and he lifted a knee to press into El's stomach as his other hand grabbed his left arm. El's hand was glowing purple through his glove, and Erik's eyes betrayed him by showing the slightest bit of recognition. This also presented the smallest of openings while he was distracted.

El recognized his opportunity and shifted his weight, flipping the script on Erik while he was preoccupied. In a matter of seconds it was now _his_ face pressed against the wet stone wall as El’s weight held him there. He leaned forward and growled in his ear.

"It's just a birthmark, got it?" He let Erik go and turned to walk away. "Let's go, I think it's this way."

Erik scoffed, thinking to himself as he followed. 

_Yeah, a glowing birthmark that just **happens** to match the mark of the Luminary._

Surprisingly, there weren’t any bothersome guard occurrences until they found themselves at a cliff, surrounded. Erik looked between the guards and the cliff edge, a bit hesitant. If the guards hadn't followed them they would have been able to climb safely down the cliffside, but now they had to take more drastic measures.

El grabbed Erik's hand, his eyes serious. 

"I don't know you, and you don't know me, but if you want to survive this...you're gonna have to trust me for a minute.” He sighed and rolled his eyes, this sounded so _cheesy_. “My name is Eleven, and as you've probably figured out I have the mark of light. It’s bullshit, but it has a few perks. I'll explain more later but now...we have to jump."

Erik looked down at the hand hold and then met Eleven's eyes. They unclasped and then whirled around, eyes meeting while the guard tried to reason with them.

Erik smirked, "The name's Erik, and you don't have to tell me much past that, except one thing..." He settled into a running stance and took El’s hand again. "Why do you want to save a petty thief like me?"

“Well Erik, you helped me escape..." he looked out over the cliff's edge before flashing him a grin. "...and you're not bad to look at."

With a short laugh he began to sprint toward the cliff's edge, letting out a shout before leaping off the edge. 

_Okay you stupid fucking tree, make sure this doesn't smash us to bits._

_________________

El woke up not long after hitting the water. He guessed the stupid tree was still looking out for him after all, whether he liked it or not.

He spotted Erik washed up on the shore, passed out. He dragged his soaked body over to the closest campsite, removing his own coat and tossing it over him to keep him warm until he got the fire going. He snagged a rope out of his bag and bound Erik's hands, his own glowing purple as he finished the knot. That was new. He left to gather firewood, turning back when he heard Erik stir behind him.

Erik woke with a groan as his memory tried to swirl itself back together. He looked around for El, and then croaked out, "How long was I out?"

El looked over his shoulder. "You weren't out long. You hurt?" He set the firewood down in the firepit and lit it with a spell from his fingertips.

"We'll be fine here for now, but they already have a search party out looking for us. Any ideas?"

Erik strained against the ropes that bound his wrists together, ready to easily escape them when they restricted further and even tugged his hands forward towards El a little, like an invisible leash. He blushed for a split second and quickly pulled them back to recover from his stumble.

"A few bruises, nothing big." He watched the fire go from a quiet whisper to a roar as El stoked it and he thought to himself, suddenly remembering his unfinished business.

“I have something I need to grab in town before we bounce, but we could probably find a cave to hide in, or steal a boat and get out of Heliodor territory.”

El listened to what he had to say and scoffed. “You’re crazy, this ‘something’ better be pretty damn important. If we’re heading back into town.” 

Erik tried to get out again, and this time El caught hands jerking forward. He watched Erik struggle with a smirk, getting up to kneel in front of him. “Stuck?”

He tilted Erik’s chin up with his thumb, then side to side as the fire flickered and accentuated his blush. “I’d say you’re _enjoying_ this.” He stood up and grabbed another rope out of his bag with a suggestive wink. “I have another one, want me to do your ankles too?” 

Erik stretched back, leaning against the tree he had woken up against. He looked El’s way, voice deeper and tone more flirtatious. “And what if I am enjoying this? What’s a pretty boy like you gonna do?” He fought a gasp as his foot was harshly grabbed. 

El bound his ankles together with minimal struggle and sat back with a satisfied smirk. He watched the blush on Erik’s face spread as he strained against the ropes. El’s expression got more and more smug by the second, this was an interesting discovery. He got up into Erik’s face, eyes narrowed.

“Wouldn’t you like to find out?” he laughed, his voice low . He patted Erik on the head before he got up to stir the food cooking over the fire, almost acting as if nothing had just happened.

Erik sighed, he really had gone and done it now. He couldn’t even escape from the ropes, which was strange. He could usually weasel his way out of most bonds if he tried hard enough, but it was almost as if there was some sort of spell imbued on these ropes. He slumped back and closed his eyes to rest off the exhaustion from their prison break while El cooked, soon falling into a light sleep.

El finished up the food and placed a plate in front of Erik, slapping his cheek a little to wake him up. “Hey, food’s done. If you can promise you won’t run off or stab me or whatever I’ll untie you...unless you want me to feed you dinner.”

Erik laughed and held up his hands, “Untie me. I can feed myself thank you very much.” He sounded irritated now, a problem beginning to form below the belt he wasn't ready to deal with quite yet.

El didn’t take his eyes off Erik’s as he untied him, fully expecting a cuff to the face that never came. He sat back with a sigh and finished his own food. “So you know where we’re going? We can move in a bit after the sun sets.”

“Yeah, downtown Heliodor, I have something special that’ll sell at a nice price stashed there.” He ate slowly to not upset his pained stomach from being locked away for so long, and eventually dragged himself upright when he was finished and they began to pack up their small campsite. El stopped him before they set out and grabbed his wrists. Erik shot him a look, clearly annoyed. “Are you seriously gonna tie me up again?”

El considered for a moment, looking out at all of the monsters lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce on them as soon as they were far enough from the goddess statue. “I guess not. You’re more useful than you are dangerous at this point.” He stuffed the rope back in his bag with a coy smile.

“Lead the way.”

Erik chuckled, “Actually… I need a moment before we get going. Just follow the path up towards that church, I’ll catch up.”

El turned, eyes narrowed. He didn’t trust this one bit but obliged anyway, making his way up the hill. Erik meanwhile, dove behind a bush with his bag, reaching in to find what he was looking for. After the necessary preparation and cleaning, he slid the small implement into himself with a grunt. Anyone who he decided to get intimate with would be in for a little surprise. Plus, he would be lying if he said he didn’t like how it felt anyway. 

He righted himself and rushed up the hill after El, ready to take on whatever bullshit this journey would bring.

And he had a feeling there would be no shortage of it.


	2. We Got a Little Crazy But Never Got Caught

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends! Thanks for coming back for the next installment. This is where we start to get naughty, so watch out. You've been warned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So to clear up some timeline stuff, this is canon divergent. They're skipping a few things and also not actively being hunted down by Heliodor. El was arrested for theft, not for being the Luminary :P So if things seem a little different, that's why! :)

It didn’t take them long to reach downtown Heliodor, or to find out that whatever Erik was looking for wasn’t where he’d left it. After Erik threw a bit of a tantrum they snuck their way back up into Heliodor proper, keeping to the shadows to avoid the guards lest they get recognized. 

Erik grumbled to himself as they jumped rooftops on their way up to a shop in the ritzy district. They’d been given a tip from one of Erik’s old associates, a woman named Ruby. She’d told them Erik’s old partner in crime, Derk, took the orb months back and used the money to open his new shop. As they strode in through the fancy wooden doors, Erik immediately threw a punch at the chubby man behind the counter. 

El stood back and watched Erik deal with this guy, not quite sure what was happening. They went from fighting to hugging it out over the course of a few minutes, words harsh at first but now joking and familiar. From what El overheard, the thing Erik was looking for was now stored away in the Kingsbarrow, wherever that was. He sighed, this was taking way longer than Erik said it would. While they were catching up he turned and walked outside.

A few minutes later Erik came out of the shop and strode past El, grabbing his arm and dragging him along without missing a step. 

"We’ve got a location, let's go." His scowl stayed put as they left straight out the front gates, the guards too busy to notice them.

_____________

Once they were across the river, El pulled Erik aside. “Okay, so are you gonna tell me what the hell is going on here? Who was that?” He stood back and crossed his arms, expecting an answer.

"I told you, I’m after a treasure that’ll fetch a nice price... that's _apparently_ now in the Kingsbarrow, a safehouse for royal treasures. And that was Derk, my old partner." Erik crossed his arms in response, mirroring El’s standoffish attitude.

El raised his eyebrow at the word ‘partner’ but didn’t press further. They clearly weren’t associated any longer. With Erik’s guidance they stole a horse from a local farm and booked it the rest of the way to the Emerald Coast. El had no desire to check in back at home, he was sure everything was just as he’d left it and he didn’t want to have to answer all of the questions everyone would surely have. They did stop in front of Cobblestone Falls along the way, and Erik got off the horse, sniffing the air like he was a dog searching for a particular scent. 

El stared at him like he’d gone insane. “Uh...what are you doing?”

Erik put his hand up with a bid for El to be quiet as he gently dug before a rock. El snorted in return, but his eyes widened as Erik pulled out a small, wooden box. He sifted through it first, handing the blue gem to El as he read the letters within. Whistling lowly, he handed the papers to El and smirked. "Very unbecoming of you, your highness, tying up a commoner."

El snatched the letters from his hand and started reading, his hand coming up to slap over his face and slowly dragged down until it hung listless at his side. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. If it’s not one thing it’s another.” He tossed the letters into the pond and turned to face Erik, the faintest purple glow around the edges of his eyes. “This is stupid. Where’s this Kingsbarrow so we can leave.”

_____________

Erik led the way to the Kingsbarrow, up the seemingly never-ending stairs. When they got to the top, they struggled their way through about a dozen guards and knocked them out as they went, doing their best to keep to the shadows. They clambored their way down to the bottom of the tomb, eventually finding the orb below.

He picked it up with a wide grin, his eyes sparkling in the reflection. He turned to El and jabbed his thumb towards the exit. "Now we can go find the door your grandad talked about in that letter."

El eyed the orb and crossed his arms over his chest, unimpressed. “That’s it? I can’t believe we fought all the way down here for _that_. It better be able to tell the future or something.” He snatched the orb out of Erik’s hands and wiggled his fingers over it like he was casting a spell. “Magic red ball...will hedgehog boy over here ever get the stick out of his ass?” He looked at Erik with a smug grin, tossing the orb back before turning to leave the room.

Erik grabbed it and slipped it into his bag for safekeeping before fumbling out the words.

"It's not a stick!" He covered his mouth with one hand, realizing what he’d said. So much for a surprise.

El stopped mid-step and whirled around without missing a beat. He strode back over, using his extra couple of inches in height to tower over Erik. His mouth was twisted into a curious smile. 

“What was that?” 

Erik regained his composure and smirked, his confidence getting the better of him. "I don't have a stick up my ass. But I do have something else, what are you gonna do about it? Reach down there and pull it out?"

His hand twitched at his side, arguing with himself internally on whether or not to take the bait. He watched Erik through narrowed eyes, weighing his options. Did he really want to complicate things for the sake of a good time? Erik was almost insufferable with his snarky attitude, maybe he could teach him a lesson...

There was almost no space between them now, El’s breath hot on Erik’s neck as his heartbeat thudded in his ears.

The spry thief chuckled, his eyes dragging up to meet El’s. "Well? What’s it gonna be? You always have _something_ to sa-" Erik trailed off when he saw the look in the other’s eyes. He’d clearly sparked something. 

El reached up and thumbed at Erik’s bottom lip, pulling it down a little as his eyes focused in. He spoke barely above a whisper, but it didn’t hinder the weight of what he was suggesting.

“Wanna get out of here? Or...” He scanned the room for a moment. “We could just stay here.” His other hand found its way under Erik’s tunic, fingertips skimming along his waist. 

In a flash Erik turned the tables on El, grabbing his arms behind his back and slamming him into the nearby wall. He tried his best to sound intimidating, but his voice wavered in El’s ear. "No thanks. I'm just a thief with some unimportant motives." 

Shock quickly faded into anger and confusion as his face was pressed against the stone wall. The mood had completely changed, had he read the situation wrong? It had certainly sounded like Erik was coming onto him. His face burned in embarrassment at the rejection, and all he wanted was to get out of there. 

His mark and eyes both began to glow purple, and he jerked his elbow back to hit Erik in the chest. He turned and glared down at where Erik knelt on the ground, trying to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him.

“This is just a little game for you, isn’t it? Well leave me out of it.” He snapped his fingers to cast an evac spell and disappeared back to the entrance of the tomb, leaving Erik behind.

Erik sighed and trudged his way back up toward the entrance. Each step filled him with more anger, and the feeling inside of his ass stung with regret. He finally made it to the top, brow drenched in sweat from fighting the monsters still appearing by himself. He caught sight of El about to descend the stairs and stormed forward. 

"You!" He jabbed a finger in the center of El's chest in anger. "You listen here! I act like a tease because I _steal_ for a living. I have to be charming. I have to get close and flirt with people, and _you_ are making it difficult!" He threw his knife down before continuing.

"Because you're so fucking _beautiful_ and _tempting_ and I… I can't take it anymore!" he growled.

For once, El was shocked into silence. That certainly wasn’t the shouting match he was expecting at all. He stared back for a few seconds before shaking his head in defeat. His confidence was still too freshly bruised to engage in any sort of reply. He grabbed the hand that was still poking him in the chest and squeezed it before dropping it back down to Erik’s side. 

“Don’t do that again. I don’t like being led on.” 

If Erik didn’t know any better, he’d swear El even looked a little _sad_. He sighed and grabbed El's hand, dragging him down the stairs and back out towards the coast. 

"Let's just get going."

_____________

They stopped at the closest campsite, and Erik sat down on a log with a frustrated huff. He’d been stewing in his thoughts the whole trip over, and with a shake of his head he decided it was time to act. He turned to look at El, his expression defeated. "I… I want to take you up on your offer from before. It’s about time we break the tension."

El threw his bag down by the statue and turned. “Wait...you what? You’re serious?”

Surely he hadn’t heard him right. El gritted his teeth, not fully believing him for fear of rejection a second time. The embarrassment from earlier was still fresh in his mind and stung at his pride. He kneeled down in front of where Erik sat, arms spread in an invitation.

“Prove it. But fair warning, once you start you might get addicted.”

"Addicted? God, that sounds so stupid." He reached down for the laces on El's trousers and picked them loose, releasing the startlingly large appendage. He raised a brow in surprise and took a quick lick from base to tip before diving down to take it all in with a smirk.

“Shut the fuck u-” Before he could finish his thought El’s breath rushed out of him like he’d been punched in the gut. Guess he really was serious this time. He closed his eyes and fought back a groan, how did this already feel so good?

Erik glanced up, his eyes filled with mischief knowing that he’d already begun to pick away at El’s attitude. Then they widened as he watched El regain his composure, gazing down at him with that devilish look in his eyes. 

_Uh oh._

El threaded his fingers into Erik’s hair and pulled, and the sound that came from Erik when he did reverberated down into his legs, making him pull harder. His eyes trailed over to his discarded bag, and he remembered something from the previous night. 

He reached down and put his hands on either side of Erik’s face to get his attention. “Give me a minute.” He tried not to laugh at Erik’s confused and curious expression as he leaned over, pulling out one of the ropes from his bag. “I meant it when I said we could use this later. Wrists. Now.”

Erik rolled his eyes and held out his arms. "If you're gonna tie me up, do it right…" he mumbled. He waited for El to finish tying the knot and get resituated so he could continue. He took his time getting back to where he was when El stopped him, fully enjoying the sounds he was pulling from his partner.

But El was beginning to get impatient, his hands finding their way back into Erik’s hair. Without the use of his hands Erik couldn’t keep him from bucking into his mouth, and that’s exactly what El did. The tip of his dick hit the back of Erik’s throat, and he pulled back coughing. 

“Jeez, careful with that thing.” He wiped his mouth on the back of his hands and made a sad attempt to reach down at his trouser laces. "Help me undo this, please." He usually wasn't one to say please in these situations, but he was beginning to feel a bit desperate for touch.

El reached down and pulled at the string a little, meeting Erik's eyes like he was up to no good. "Look at you, how could I say no?" He trailed a finger down the straining bulge and squeezed him through the fabric before finally undoing the last of the laces, thoroughly enjoying the flustered and frustrated look he was getting in return.

Erik forcefully shimmied his pants down and looked at El in embarrassment before pointing over to his bag. “Among my things there’s a blue vial. You’re gonna need that.” He watched El’s eyes glint with sinister intent. “...What?”

"What's this?" He pushed Erik onto his back, hand tracing down the underside of his thigh until it rested on the base of the plug in his ass. He snickered at Erik's squirming as he pulled just enough for Erik to feel it. 

"You weren't kidding when you said it wasn't a stick." He got up to retrieve the vial Erik mentioned, digging around in his bag just a little in curiosity before he settled back down between Erik's legs. 

Erik sighed heavily at having to explain the process, his head thunking back against the ground. He stared up at the sky, face flushed. “Okay… you’re gonna need to pull it out and then…put the stuff on your fingers.”

For maybe the first time in El's life he did as he was told, if not painstakingly slow on purpose. He watched Erik's blush spread from his face down his neck as he gently pulled and set the plug aside, then slid two fingers in its place. He didn't quite understand how this was supposed to feel good, but Erik clearly seemed to be enjoying it as he moved them in and out.

Erik rolled his head from side to side and bit back a groan as he let El figure it out on his own. Luckily for the both of them he was a fast learner. He worked off of the obvious signals Erik gave whether it was verbal or not. 

Soon Erik’s mind was fogged over, eagerly thinking of what was next. He looked up at El, dazed. “Whenever you want…I’m ready.”

El blindly patted the ground beside him until his fingers wrapped around the previously discarded lube vial. His eyes scanned across the campsite, and his gaze settled on a storage crate off to the side. He held the vial between his teeth as he scooped Erik up and carried him over to the crate, setting him down with a huff. He immediately turned him around and pushed him forward so he was bent over, elbows resting on the crate with his bound hands out in front of him.

He ran an appreciative hand along the curve of Erik’s bare ass before winding up to give him a decent smack. He laughed in delight when Erik jumped, and wound up for another before finally uncapping the vial to slick himself up. “Like it rough, huh? Why don’t we test that theory...”

Erik hissed under his breath, how had this man figured out his two biggest turn-ons in less than a few days together?! He would have been more annoyed if he wasn't horny out of his mind and struggling to form a coherent thought. He looked back at El, eyes narrowed. "S-so what if I like it rough?!"

He threaded his fingers into Erik’s hair in response and pulled back until his neck was craning. Leaning over him, his stiff cock brushed up against Erik in a tease of what was to come. “You’re gonna regret admitting that.” 

El reached out in front of him to untie the rope holding Erik’s wrists and instead folded his arms behind his back. Before he could retie them his hands glowed purple, and bonds of the same color appeared around Erik’s wrists. El leaned back and tilted his head, looking from his hand back down to Erik. “Hm. Well that’s new.”

With one hand on Erik’s bound hands and the other gripping himself at the base he finally slid in, his breath leaving him in a satisfied huff at the brand new feeling. He could definitely get used to _this_.

Erik moaned as he adjusted, stars filling his vision. He tried to move his arms and gasped when the bonds tightened against his struggling. He looked back towards El in confusion. “What-” Then the first thrust wiped every thought from his mind, leaving him gasping and groaning for leverage, of which he had none.

El wasn’t prepared for how fast the nagging, warm feeling began to build inside of his gut. He wanted to chase it, but he also didn’t want it to consume him to the point where it was gone. He gritted his teeth as he put more power behind his movements, nails digging into Erik’s skin until he left angry, red indentations that stung when his hands shifted.

The only thing that was currently registered in Erik’s mind was the rough wooden crate against his skin, and the man giving him a surprisingly decent fuck for it being his alledged ‘first time’. He tried and failed miserably to pull himself back together, half of a strangled warning that he was close the only thing he could choke out.

It wasn’t much longer after he felt Erik tense and then shudder beneath him that El hit his own wall, hands gripping at Erik’s hips hard enough to bruise as his head fell back with a heavy sigh. He slumped forward, resting his elbows on the crate as he slowly slid out. He stayed there for a few moments to catch his breath before he stood up and fixed his pants. 

He dusted his hands off and stretched his arms over his head, giving Erik a pat on the back before he went to sit down by the fire. “Well, that was fun.”

Erik stood and sighed, pulling himself back together before trying to shamble his way down to the nearby coast to clean up. He looked at El with a scowl. "Could you possibly untie my hands?" He shuffled towards the campfire and promptly lost his balance, falling on his face from his still-weak legs. 

El tried and failed miserably to hold back his laughter as he got up to help him. “That good, huh? You’re welcome.” 

He wasn’t entirely sure how to undo the bonds considering he also wasn’t sure how he made them appear in the first place. He held his hand over Erik’s back and tried to concentrate or something, that’s how these things usually worked, right? His hand began to glow, and the bonds slowly faded away. El sighed in relief, that could have been bad. As funny as it would have been to leave Erik like that, he still needed his help with fighting off the monsters that roamed the coast.

He sat back down and looked up at Erik with a grin. “All better.”

Erik heard the sigh of relief as he moved to walk away and turned back. "Aw, were you worried that you were gonna be left to yourself? I guess you haven't seen all of me yet, have you?" He smirked before stalking down to the shore.

El would never admit it out loud and certainly never to Erik, but he was a little scared that he’d just up and leave. It wasn’t like El couldn’t get by without him. It wasn’t like he depended on him, or even _enjoyed_ his company or anything. Definitely not.

He watched Erik from the campsite as their dinner simmered over the fire. He’d never experienced these types of emotions for another person before, and it was starting to freak him out. Maybe he should try to ditch Erik before it got any more confusing.

But any thoughts of escape fell flat once Erik stepped back into the glow of the fire, giving him one of his signature smirks.

This was going to be a long journey.


	3. Change Your Geography

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We make our way to Hotto and refuse to make any new friends.

The Door of Departure sat upon a cliff overlooking the sea, no signs or any indication it was what they were looking for until they got close enough. The keyhole in the center began to glow, as did the stone in El's hand. The doors slowly began to open, and as soon as they stepped inside the chamber they slammed shut. Simple enough.

El looked around the empty room as everything began to glow blue. "Guess there's no going back..." He laughed nervously and closed his eyes as the room around them started to fade.

The blink of an eye later they were back on solid ground, in a room that looked exactly like the one they came from. The doors slowly opened, and they stumbled out into a dusty, red vista. El looked around with zero recognition. 

"Where the hell are we?"

Erik looked around and shook his head. "Don't know. I don’t recognize this place." He put his hand on El’s back and pushed him to start walking. 

After working their way through some uneven terrain and a few monsters, they came across a city tucked away in the steppe. A friendly man by the entrance greeted them with an odd speech pattern, and offered them to use the hot springs. After a quick sniff and a collective grimace they took the offer. Erik vanished up the stairs out of habit as El hung back and sightsaw.

This was the furthest from home El had been to date, and it felt pretty good. This place was different, but he didn’t hate it. When he finally arrived at the top of the stairs he strode into the bath house, Erik still nowhere to be seen.

El wasn't sure what part of sweating was supposed to make him feel cleaner, but he'd give it a shot. He changed into the baggy bath clothes provided and stepped into the sauna, looking around for any sign of Erik. He could sense some sort of a presence, but couldn't see much through the steam. 

Not a moment after he got comfortable on the bench he had a lap full of thief. Erik’s hands ghosted up his sides and his mouth quickly found its way to his neck. El’s already labored breathing from the steam quickly got heavier. 

"Heh, well hello to you too."

Erik pulled away from his neck with a _pop_ sound, and ran his hand over the fresh hickey beginning to form. "Can't help myself." He grinned up at El. "There’s just somethin’ about you…"

He fumbled for the word he wanted, but quickly gave up and dove in for a kiss. As their lips met, he realized that they’d done this all backwards. This was their first kiss even though the night before they’d done much more. It almost felt like another piece of their puzzle fell into place. Emotions getting the better of him, Erik’s hips moved in a circle from where he sat, grinding on El as he moaned into the kiss.

El broke away and tilted his head to growl in Erik’s ear. "Doesn't matter why, I'll never complain." One of his hands moved to firmly grab his ass, while the other clawed down his back under his shirt. Things were beginning to heat up fast, and if they weren’t careful they’d be caught. The owner had already given him the stink eye when he walked in. 

Erik grinded his hips harder against El and grinned. “You gonna do something about that or just leave both of us hanging?” He stole another kiss, urging him on.

El felt drunk between the steam and the feeling of Erik's mouth on his. He reached down between them, thankful that the waistbands on their bathing clothes were elastic. He shimmied Erik's waistband down and then his own, taking them both in hand. His hand stuck a little as he moved it from the dampness in the air.

Erik’s laugh was breathy in El’s ear at having the upper hand this time. “Good…you better keep that up.” His lips pressed against El’s again, biting his lower lip before pulling away. “Or else.”

El decided to humor his threat and slowed his hand to a stop, his thumb tracing over Erik's tip before he let go. His eyes trained on Erik's, he watched to see how he would follow through.

He responded by fisting his hand in El's hair and pulled hard before biting down on the side of his neck with a growl. "I _said_ don't stop."

El tried and failed to choke back a moan. He grit his teeth, another one of those and they’d be caught for sure. He started back up, gripping them both a little harder and moving a little faster. As Erik bit at his neck and his head began to swim, and he decided that he liked Erik telling him what to do. But he'd never admit it.

Erik pulled back with a grin, licking his lips. “You’re obedient when push comes to shove, huh? I like that.” He purred out the words as he traced El’s muscles beneath his shirt. He reached up to pinch El’s nipples before smiling up at him. “You’re awful cute.”

The combination of the steam and how good he felt was beginning to make El feel a little light-headed, but he needed more. He turned to the side with Erik still in his lap and pushed him down until his back was against the wooden bench. He settled over him on his elbow, one hand holding one of Erik’s hostage while the other continued to rub them off. El leaned in to kiss him rough, smiling against his lips. "You're pretty attractive yourself."

Before El could make another move he sat bolt upright and tugged his pants back up at the sound of hurried footsteps.

Erik stumbled as he stood and pulled his back up as well, hurrying across the room to grab a towel. He tossed it at El’s head and motioned for him to put it around his shoulders before sitting a comfortable distance away.

They both let out a breath when the door swung open and smiled sweetly back at the owner. He looked between them with his eyes narrowed, turning to leave with a huff when nothing seemed amiss. El hoped the flush on his face was hidden well enough by the temperature.

El slid closer as soon as they were alone. He leaned over to whisper in Erik’s ear, making his point by giving his thigh a squeeze. "We should get out of here."

Erik replied with a nod, pulling El up off the bench and back out to the changing rooms. They quickly got dressed and made their way down to the inn, bumping into two girls dressed in red and green just inside.

The one in red frowned as El elbowed her out of the way. She stepped back and tugged at the girl in green’s sleeve, “Serena is that…?”

She glanced at the boys, and a chill ran down her spine. "I'm not quite sure, Veronica. The rude one with the purple coat has a rather nasty aura around him. Perhaps we can catch them around tomorrow and ask a few questions."

Neither El nor Erik paid the girls any mind as they checked in and headed upstairs. El locked the door to their room and looked back over his shoulder with a deadly smirk. 

Erik grinned back eagerly and beckoned him closer, sitting on the bed and loosening the laces of his shirt to the point of it almost falling off. “It's time for you to pay up for earlier.”

El wasted no time, pouncing on Erik and tearing at his tunic in urgency.

_____________

The next morning El woke up late, rolling out of an empty bed. He got dressed with a grumble and ran a hand through his rumpled hair before grabbing his bag and heading downstairs.

He found Erik in the dining room already eating breakfast, and as soon as he spotted him he motioned El over with a wave. 

El nodded in thanks when a cup of black coffee was wordlessly slid across the table. He held the warm cup in his hands for a moment, inhaling the scent before taking a long sip. All was as it should have been…

...Until hands slammed down on their table, causing El to jump and choke on his drink. A woman in a short, red dress and braids frowned down at them, her searing gaze focused on Eleven. "I know who you are, so spit it out. What are you doing here, Luminary?" 

The woman in green standing behind her placed a gentle hand on her shoulder in an attempt to reel her in. "Veronica…I don't think this is the best way to greet him."

El looked up at her with a scowl. It was too early for this bullshit. He glanced over at Erik before addressing their intruder.

“I’m not the Luminary. You have the wrong guy.” He waved his hand dismissively and turned his attention back to Erik, ignoring the girls’ presence. Hopefully they’d get the message and leave them alone.

Veronica forcibly grabbed his hand as he waved it, holding the marked hand in front of his face. "No. I don't. And don't tell me it's _just a birthmark_." She scowled right back before Erik cleared his throat to try and break the tension.

"Just leave us alone, alright? If the tree has a plan for him or whatever we’ll figure it out. For now…" He helped El up and began to pull him toward the exit. "We got places to be. See ya.”

El followed Erik outside and pulled his hand back, crossing his arms over his chest. “And where exactly do we have to be? I didn’t get to eat.”

They didn’t really have a plan, and now that they were Yggdrasil-knew-where El had even less of an idea what to do next. Except for finding food. His stomach growled in agreement.

Erik held up two coin purses with a grin. "Where we need to be right now is the next town over. I just cleaned their pockets, so we need to be outta here before they notice and come hunt us down." He laughed and began to jog towards the town gates.

El ran after him, a smile slowly breaking across his face. The more he learned about Erik the more he liked him.

_____________

They made their way across the steppe, settling down at the next campsite for the evening. El looked over as Erik dug through his bag, clearly looking for something.

“Aha! Here it is.” He held out the item, and El tilted his head in confusion. He had no idea what it was. Erik set it down and motioned for El to come over and check it out. He explained it was a forge, something El could create new equipment with provided he had the necessary raw materials. 

Curious, El tossed a few things in the top and twirled the hammer in his hand with a cocky smile, confident he’d be able to make something decent. After ten minutes, some cursing, and one healed thumb later, El held a new dagger out to Erik. “Here, your old one was shit.”

Erik regarded the dagger in the fire’s light, then smiled as he tested the strength and movement overall. “Not bad for a beginner. What else can you make?” He sat back and grinned as he watched El dig through his satchel for more materials.

“Have any requests?” El looked up at Erik with a mischievous smile before he shucked off his jacket and undershirt. He tossed some ore in the forge as it glowed to life, and began to rework his sword. A half an hour later he lay on his back looking up at the sky as his bare chest rose and fell to catch his breath. Maybe this thing was a little harder than it looked.

Erik leaned over him, eyes sparkling playfully as he pressed a single kiss to El’s cheek. “You’re pretty good at it already! I’m impressed.” His voice took on a honeyed venom as he grinned. “Tell ya what. Make whatever, and I’ll wear it. As a treat.” He pressed one more kiss to El’s sweaty face before sauntering back over to the campfire.

El hoisted himself back up and looked back at Erik with a snide smile as he got an idea. He flipped through his recipe book, smile growing when he found the perfect thing. Half an hour later he approached Erik with something hidden behind his back. He brushed his hair behind his ear in an attempt at looking innocent. He held out a red studded collar, no longer able to hold back his grin. The look on Erik’s face was totally worth it. 

“Since, y’know. You’re such a _good_ boy.”

Erik stuttered, trying to form a coherent response. "I'm not wearing that. I'm not some kinky pet." He wouldn't say that he sort of felt like he was exactly that, and the thoughts that began to run through his mind at the possibilities...

He shook his head lightly and focused his gaze back on El. "I'm serious, I won't."

El hugged himself with a pout and looked down at Erik with big, sad eyes. "But I made it just for you. And you said you'd wear anything."

Despite the act he was putting on, there remained a devious glint in his eyes. "If not for me, for the enchantment. It makes you stronger. I can think of a few ways that could benefit you." The sad act was already toast, his signature grin back.

Erik groaned and took it from his hands, turning it over in his own before clasping it around his neck. He looked at El with a shy smile as he felt his eyes trail over his neck, admiring his handiwork. 

"How does it look?" He struck a pose for a moment before moving to set out the food. "And I'm _not_ a good boy."

El sat down next to him and looped a finger under the collar, yanking him in closer. "You're right, you are rather bad. We'll have to deal with that later." He let go and dug into his dinner, flush barely visible in the dim light of the fire.

Erik laughed between bites. "What are you gonna do? Spank me til I do what you want?" He glanced over cautiously as he cleaned off his plate, hoping he’d take the bait.

Not to be challenged, El set his empty plate down and reached into his bag, fishing out a rope. He walked up behind Erik and threaded it under the collar, tying a simple knot and sealing it with his mark. He held the other end of the rope slack, but when Erik turned to look at him he gave it a swift tug.

"What was that?" The tilt of his head and his sweet smile screamed objections from what was actually running through his mind.

Erik ignored him, finishing his dinner and then stretching out on his back in front of the fire. He pretended to be unaffected by the flirting and the thinly-veiled threats, but the act was quickly slipping as he attempted to downplay how much he was actually enjoying this.

Annoyed from Erik’s cold shoulder, El gave the rope another tug as he settled beside him on his side with his head propped on his arm. He used the leash to reel Erik in close enough to kiss. 

"You don’t have to hide your feelings, it’s just us." 

Erik leaned in and kissed him lightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "'S not just us. Those girls followed us. Maybe we can scare them off." He laughed as his hand trailed down El’s chest. "Or if they don't leave, I can knock voyeur sex off my bucket list."

El tried to hide his surprised expression. This guy was _fun_. He wrapped an arm around Erik's waist and pulled him flush against him. "Care to tell me what else you have on this list?"

"Classified, but I will tell you this. I don’t mind being bossed around a little. But you’ve already proven to be good at that."

"I have a feeling I'll find out about the others one way or another." El pushed him down onto his back and climbed on top of him, straddling his waist. He took Erik's hands in his own and pinned them above his head. "You're mine now, thief."

If those girls were dumb enough to follow them after El had very clearly told them to leave him and Erik alone, that was on them. He wasn't going to start playing nice for their sake, or anyone's.

Veronica turned away from the scene from behind the bushes, disgusted. "They're like animals or something. It's vile." She grabbed her sister's hand and turned to leave. "Let's head back to town for the night, we clearly need a better plan." Serena nodded and followed her sister back towards the lights of Hotto.

Erik smirked up at El and stuck his tongue out in a taunt. "And what are you gonna do, Your Highness? Fuck me til I can't walk, or just leave me tied up and frustrated?"

Now there was an idea. El happily took Erik's suggestions and ran with them. He used his mark to bind his wrists, then moved off of him and tugged him up into a kneeling position with the makeshift leash. He pushed down so he was balancing on the balls of his feet, and bound his ankles together as well.

He stepped back with a sweet smile. "Awww, stuck? Isn't that just terrible." He traced the outline of Erik's already growing hard-on through his pants and laughed. He stood up and turned to walk away, biting his lip once Erik could no longer see his face. He didn't want him to know this was already getting to him a little too.

Erik knew exactly what he was doing. He rolled over onto his side and looked up at El with a pout. "Oops, I’m sorry. Could you help me up?" he said through a smile that said he wasn’t sorry in the slightest. When El turned to look at him, there was a fire in his eyes that filled Erik with excitement. "You just gonna let that go? I'm trying my best to be good, I swear.”

El looked away and took a deep breath to compose himself, and when he turned back around to face Erik his eyes were steely, his mouth downturned. "I'm gonna let you sit for a while. I’ll be back. Or maybe I won’t." He got close enough to touch him but didn't, turning away and walking out of the campsite.

He began to make his way back to Hotto, still pissed off about being followed. The closer he got to town, the brighter his hand and eyes glowed. He was soon standing in front of the inn, no doubt where they were still staying. He charged up a devastating blast of fire and launched it at the inn, starting a blaze that could never hope to be contained before it burned the building to the ground. He turned heel and left, sticking to the shadows as the town burst into panic at the scene.

Erik meanwhile, shoved his face into the hard packed dirt of the campsite and groaned in frustration. "What the hell is wrong with me? This one man…" He sighed and bit his lip before transitioning fully over to his stomach. He wiggled a little against the ground, not finding a satisfying enough purchase. He rolled over with a huff and stared into the fire, hopefully El would be back soon.

By the time El made his way back to the campsite he’d cooled off, physically and emotionally exhausted and ready for sleep. He glanced at Erik, still bound and lying on the ground where he’d left him. Instead of apologizing he waved his hand to dispel the magic and crawled into the tent without a second glance.

He undid his bedroll and faced the tent wall, too many thoughts in his head.

_Did that feel good? Do you feel better now?_

El wrenched his eyes shut. This wasn’t the first time he’d heard the haunting voice in his head, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last. It spoke seldom as he’d grown up, but as soon as he had turned eighteen, it was the voice that had guided him to Heliodor, the voice that guided him to steal and ultimately get caught.

The voice hadn’t told him to burn down the inn, but it hadn’t necessarily stopped him, either.

It promised him riches, power, anything he desired as long as he just followed along, went through the motions. And so far, he had.

El tensed when Erik pushed aside the flaps and joined him in the tent, but neither of them spoke. He still wasn’t quite sure what exactly their relationship was, if they even had one. If he even wanted one. What El already felt for Erik was enough to freak him out, and he couldn’t bear the embarrassment if Erik didn’t feel the same. He was probably just along for the good time, and that was fine with El. They didn’t need to complicate it.

He already had enough going on inside his head.

With a sigh he pulled the blanket up to his chin and tried to will himself to sleep, the voice still echoing through his mind.


	4. Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> El and Erik make their way to Gallopolis, where it is the most boring town they came across yet. However, they do meet a jester that won't leave them alone and try something new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Ace this time! Sorry I haven't been responding to comments but I just truly don't know what to say other than thank you! This is a bit of a different chapter and had to take quite a bit of smut surgery (smutgery) to get everything in place. This scene is actually a mashup of two scenes, so I think it's quite interesting.
> 
> Oh uhhh content warnings right: alcohol, bondage, denial, and uhh... that's it I think?

Erik woke the next morning to the smell of something burning. There was a faint trace of smoke trailing into the sky back towards Hotto, and he turned to shoot an accusatory look at El. He shoved his shoulder to try and wake him. 

“What did you do?”

El rolled away from him with a huff. “Too early.”

Erik shoved him harder, and he turned over to glare back. “I didn’t _do_ anything.”

El knew Erik didn’t believe him with the way he rolled his eyes, but it didn’t matter. He knew he wouldn’t press any further.

His mood seemed to lighten the further they got from Hotto, but the conditions quickly deteriorated as they began to trek across the desert. It took longer than they would have liked in the heat, but they finally arrived in Gallopolis by midday. 

Erik was overheated, his sash loosely tied around his hips and sweat-soaked tunic balled up under his arm. El wasn’t faring much better with his jacket gone and undershirt sleeves rolled up as high as they would go. His hair was pulled back away from his face and neck in a small ponytail.

They scoped out the city after gulping down a few glasses of water at the closest tavern, finding nothing of major interest other than the circus and the horse track- which was empty for the rest of the week until whatever the ‘Sand National’ was. They didn’t plan to stay that long if they could help it.

Comfortably seated in the shade of the inn's restaurant with their room already booked for the night, they pondered on how to spend the evening. El sat across from Erik, his hand propping up his chin. He zoned out while his mind wandered, then refocused on Erik with a sly smile when he got an idea.

"Hey, this place kinda blows, right? Let's get trashed and watch the circus. Maybe it'll be more entertaining if we have no idea what's going on."

Erik grinned in return. “Good idea. Let’s go.”

They snuck into the circus without paying, fairly drunk as Erik stumbled to a table in the back with El in tow. They sat closer than they needed to, Erik’s head falling onto El’s shoulder as he slurred in his ear. His hand lazily came up to stroke his face, clammy fingers dragging down El’s cheek. “El, I gotta s-saaay that you...you’re really pretty.”

El grabbed Erik's hand and pulled him closer, almost in his lap now. "You're the hottest person I've ever seeeen. I wanna just…" He leaned in to kiss him, but missed and left a wet spot on his cheek instead.

"After this, whaddaya say we go back to the inn and-" his dastardly plan was cut off from the sound of the circus starting. The first act wasn't anything too attention-grabbing, just some flashy magic. As they watched, El got brave and began to slide a hand up Erik's thigh under the table. 

Erik felt the hand and smiled up at El. "Adventurish, are we…?" He pressed a finger to El's shoulder, meaning to aim for his nose, and then clumsily clambered into his lap. The next act started, some animal taming and acrobatics. A little more interesting, but not enough to stop them from pawing at each other.

El tightened his hold around Erik's waist as they pretended to watch, his hands soon roaming between the laces of his shirt. His breath was warm and heavy in Erik's ear, his patience shot.

"Let's get out of here."

Erik relaxed back into El’s chest with a faint smile. "You…you carry me then. I'm puddin." He let his arm flop back onto El’s face for emphasis. 

El rolled his eyes. Erik was quite the lightweight. Stealing moonshine from Dunstan’s stockpile must have given him more of a tolerance than he’d thought.

The lights flashed, signalling the main event was about to begin. The Ringmaster reappeared, announcing their star performer. "Introducing the world famous… the Great Sylvando!"

The lights grew dark.

El didn’t care about whoever this “Sylvando” guy was, especially not when he had a giggly mess of a man to carry back to their room. He did his best to scoop Erik up into his arms, stumbling because of the dark. Luckily the exit wasn't too far, but the performer who'd just taken the stage didn't miss the wobbly pair leaving just as his act began.

* * *

He couldn't remember where the inn was. El wandered around for a bit, Erik’s legs kicking idly as he looked around for something familiar. He stumbled while Erik pawed at his face, hair, and whatever else he could get his hands on. They settled for the closest place away from the public eye- an alley.

El used his remaining strength to pin Erik up against the wall, his legs now wrapped around El's waist to hold him up. He nipped at Erik's neck, whispering a warning against his skin. "Now you're in for it."

Erik groaned when El bit down, and El slapped a hand over his mouth with a stern look. He stared into those glowing blue eyes, the moonlight catching in them like the shadow of an undeserving halo. His legs began to slip as he felt sleepy, but became startled awake as he felt strong arms shift him back into place. He whined against the hand covering his mouth, tongue darting out to lick it.

El made a face and removed his hand, wiping the spit on Erik’s shirt. “You’re gross.”

As soon as El’s hand was out of the way Erik lunged forward to kiss him, missing instead and pressing a sloppy kiss down his jaw. He grabbed at El's hair in an attempt at gaining some control.

“And you’re an ass.”

El's mark began to glow in the dark. He responded by grinding his hips up into Erik’s ass, his back still firmly pressed against the wall. Before he could do anything else, there was a sound at the end of the alley catching their attention. 

Erik looked up, hand clumsily reaching down for El's pants. Goddess above he really was wasted. 

At the end of the alley stood a tall man dressed in a black, red, and white circus costume.  
Erik perked up in recognition. "Isn't that the..." He finally got his hand underneath the waistband. "Y’know, the worllllld famous…" He leaned into El, suddenly tired again.

He held Erik’s face still with one hand and watched his eyes drift. He couldn’t keep them focused. He sighed and slowly set him down, making sure he was steady enough on his own two feet before completely letting go. As soon as he did Erik began to sway too far to the right, and he grabbed him by the waist before he could fall face-first into a stack of crates. He pressed a finger to his lips with a look of caution.

“Just stay quiet. We have company.” He drew his sword and held it in front of them, waiting for the shadowy figure to approach.

El peeked out from behind their hiding spot and couldn’t see anything. Where had they-?

There was a tap on his shoulder. El whirled around a beat and a half too slowly, ready to strike.

“The kingdom doesn’t take too nicely to dealings in dark alleys, darlings.” With a flourish and a twirl, there was the man from on stage, Sylvando. El watched him with a scowl and pulled Erik a little further into his side. Who was this guy, a fucking cop? 

Sylvando bowed with a friendly smile. “I can help you two back to the inn, if you’d like.”

Scowl still firmly in place, El shook his head dismissively. “We can find our way back just fine, thanks.” He moved to scoop Erik back up into his arms and pushed past the jester.

He ambled to the end of the alley, looking back and forth for any sign of where they were. Erik began to move in his arms, trying to get more comfortable. El held him tighter to his chest and glared down at him. “Stop squirming! You’re hard enough to carry as it is.” 

When he was ignored, El moved to toss Erik over his shoulder instead and carried him the rest of the way like a sack of flour. It took twice as long as it needed to, but they eventually stumbled through the inn doors and up the short flight of stairs to their room. 

Sylvando watched from the end of the alley, chuckling to himself. He’d check on them in the morning, those boys clearly weren’t from these parts and he wanted to know what they were up to. Travelers like them didn’t come around often at all.

* * *

Erik awoke with a splintering headache. With his head pounding and the room still spinning, he stumbled into the bathroom only to finally chuck up the remaining bits of last night’s dinner. From there he managed to crawl into the shower, laying against the cool porcelain for a few minutes before he turned on the water. He stood underneath the stream of warm water in silence, trying to piece together last night. He closed his eyes and let the steam melt the tension from his shoulders. It slowly began to come back to him; they’d gotten drunk to see the circus.

_Fuck, I need to not drink so much._

Before he knew it he could’ve started spewing about things he’d rather not talk about, like his past and why he was really following the Luminary around. He put too much shampoo on his hand, groaning slightly as he worked his fingers through his hair.

El woke to the sound of the shower going. He rolled back over, face down into the pillow. Whatever time it was, it was still too early. His head hurt, but not any more than usual after a night out. A strong cup of coffee and breakfast would solve that, but he didn’t want to have to sit around in a restaurant to get it. He rolled over enough to fall out of bed, then slowly stood up and changed into a fresh set of clothes. He padded downstairs to the kitchens and ordered their breakfast to be sent up.

Showered and dried off, Erik laid across the bed not bothering to get dressed. He firmly held a pillow over his face, silently praying for his headache to piss off. He noticed the room was empty, and didn’t make an effort to move or cover himself at all when he heard the door click open.

As soon as El shuffled his way back upstairs and shut the door to their room behind him, he glanced up to see Erik sprawled out on his bed...stark naked.

He imagined Erik was faring even worse than he was on the hangover front if last night was anything to go by, so he decided to show him some pity. He walked over to the bed and leaned over him, reaching down to gently trail his hands down Erik’s sides.

“Good morning.”

Erik lifted the pillow to peek at El then pulled it over his face again, muffling his reply. “Mornin…”

He sounded like shit. He relaxed into the light touch until he twitched like someone poked him out of nowhere. Damn it, he was ticklish.

El sat down on the edge of the bed. It wasn’t fair that he was still fully clothed. A few moments and some rustling of fabric later he retook his spot beside Erik, clad in just his boxers.

“Breakfast should be up soon, I just went down to order it. But for now…” His eyes trailed appreciatively down Erik’s body. He did some simple math in his head to guess at how much time they’d have until breakfast arrived. Probably not enough to do _everything_ he wanted, but just enough to rile them both up a bit. He took the pillow from Erik’s hands and moved it to the side, leaning down to kiss him.

Erik groaned under his breath at the bright light. He reached his arms around El’s waist, hands trailing down his sides until they rested on his ass. “I’ll take this…”

El moved his head to the side to whisper in Erik’s ear. “Y’know what I’ve heard is good for a headache?” He didn’t give Erik any time to respond, instead pulling a gasp from him as he wrapped his right hand firmly around his dick. 

Erik looked up, eyes wide. “Y-You don’t need to do...” He gasped and threw his head back, biting his lip. “...that!”

El slowed his movements to get his attention. “Want me to stop?”

Just before Erik opened his mouth, the sound of knuckles rapping on wood broke the moment. He sighed and looked towards the door, wrapping a blanket around himself to go answer it. Standing on the other side was the same jester from last night.

Out of view El slid his pants back on with a huff. How many times had they been interrupted in this stupid city, and by the same guy? He stood behind Erik at the door, left hand resting on the frame above his head. “Can we help you?”

Sylv smiled and gave El a wave. “Good morning, darlings! I’m glad to see you both made it back in one piece! May I escort you to lunch this afternoon?”

El’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t trust this guy one bit. “What’s in it for you? You don’t even know our names.”

Sylv glanced him over. There was something so familiar about the taller of the two, and he was determined to place it. “Oh, well it’ll be my treat of course! Just some friendly conversation with little ol’ me!”

El looked to Erik for his opinion. It was a free meal, but he still wasn’t sure what this guy was after.

Erik answered for the both of them with a nod. “Sure, why not. We’ll see you between noon and one?”

They made arrangements bidding Sylvando goodbye, and not soon after their breakfast arrived from room service. Erik eagerly dug in, casting a glance at El across the bed when he was finished. “We’ve got about two hours before we need to get going. So…” 

He dove across the bed, pinning El down with practiced ease and trapping his lips with his own.

El flexed against the hands that pinned his wrists down, but didn’t resist. Erik still tasted like the fresh coffee he’d drank, and El swiped his tongue along his bottom lip to chase the taste. He pressed his hips up against Erik and groaned into the kiss, trying to get him to move his hands and _touch_ him. 

Erik laughed into the kiss, breaking away to appreciate his prize, trapped under his hold. “Got any requests?”

El huffed, blowing some of his hair out of his face. He looked up at Erik with a grin that looked like he was up to no good. “I’ve got an idea. Let me go.”

Erik was far too trusting. As soon as he let El’s wrists go, he fisted a hand in Erik’s hair and pulled him down into a rough kiss. A purple glow began to transfer over from El’s hands, dissolving into Erik’s skin. He let go and pulled back with a gasp, then looked up at Erik with a devious smile.

“There, now you can do all of my fun magic tricks for a little. Do whatever you want. You’ve earned it.” He folded his arms behind his head, interested to see what he’d try first.

Erik looked down at his hands, brows knitted. He reached down and grabbed El's hands, thinking of the earlier bonds he was trapped in. He made an audible sound of surprise when glowing, purple bonds formed around El's wrists. His eyes met El's with a glint of mischief, fully understanding what he’d been given.

El raised an eyebrow, watching Erik’s expression change. “Have any plans for me?” His heart was racing despite the fact that Erik was barely touching him. Just the thought of everything he could potentially do was enough to get him excited.

Erik undid the bonds and repositioned El’s arms so they were bound to the bedposts, quickly disposing of his pants before doing the same to his ankles. “If it gets to be too much…” He traced a finger down El’s stomach with a grin. “Say uh…potato.”

El burst out into laughter. “Potato?” A hand grabbed his chin, squishing his cheeks a little.

“Shut up, it’s the first thing I could think of.”

El huffed, rolling his eyes. “Alright asshole, now what? Looks like you’ll be doing all the work.” He balled his hands into fists and strained a little, the tightening bonds pulling a gasp as his eyes went a little wider at the sensation. Maybe Erik was onto something with this.

He watched as Erik straddled his waist, giving a satisfied hum at the view. El bit his tongue as he considered telling him more. He knew he might regret it later, but he wanted to make the most of giving Erik some control. “I can do a lot more than just the bonds, you know.”

Erik looked interested. He moved to hover over El, eyes narrowed. He carefully cradled his face in his hand, like petting something he knew could bite. “Explain.”

“If you’re feeling bossy, there’s a command spell.” He tilted his head to the side, chin cupped in Erik’s hand as he sneered. He knew this game well enough, and being on the other end of it for once was already proving to be pretty fun.

Erik sat back, his grin turning devilish as he tapped back into the power El gave him. He watched El’s eyes reflect a red glow for a moment, and he knew he’d pulled it off. _Perfect_.

El felt the telltale fog drift over his mind and looked up with a wink. “Don’t waste this, it won’t happen again.” 

Erik laughed, hands sliding down El’s chest. "You’re not as scary as you think you are." He thought for a moment, this meant he could command El to tell the truth about _anything_. His smile grew at the realization. Time to put this to the test.

"Tell me the truth, how much are you enjoying this?" His eyes glowed faintly before he turned to reach for his bag beside the bed.

“Oh, you motherfucker…” El had completely forgotten how far the obedience thing reached. He was in some major trouble if Erik kept asking questions. He gritted his teeth and glared back. “A lot.”

Erik hummed, satisfied with the answer. He pulled out what he was looking for, stopping part-way through opening the bottle to look back at El. "Do you actually like me? Or is this just a fling until you find someone better to fuck?" He bit his lip, waiting for the worst possible answer.

El relaxed his jaw and sighed. There was no use in fighting it now. He looked away, a light blush on his face. “I like you. And I don’t think I could find anyone better.” His eye twitched at the admission, and his voice was a touch softer. “Any other questions?” When he finally gained the courage to look up he noticed that Erik’s face was reddening, and he couldn’t meet his eyes.

So he did feel the same.

“Nope, that’s more than enough for now. I knew it. You’re a shitty liar.” He opened the bottle the rest of the way and coated his fingers, reaching behind him with a satisfied smirk. El looked so frustrated. He couldn’t wait to have him groveling.

El flexed his hands, still hopelessly tied to the bedposts. All he wanted to do was touch, kiss, explore...but here he was, reduced to a glorified chair as the beautiful man above him sighed and squirmed under his own touch. That should be _his_ hand.

Erik soon removed his hand and reached back for the bottle, but didn’t move to touch El just yet. He was met with an impatient growl, the sound rumbling through El’s chest and up into Erik’s thighs.

“So what’s your plan? Tease me to death?”

“How much teasing would that take, do you think? I’m inclined to put that to the test.” He rolled his hips back against El’s straining cock with a coy smile. Before El could complain any further he bent down and put both hands on either side of his face as he kissed him deeply. 

The butterflies that erupted in El’s stomach made him feel nauseous. What in the hell was happening?

As Erik pulled back slowly he watched El’s expression, old habits having taught him well. The flush on his face and the look in his eyes made it clear. El was falling for him, hard.

And if he was being completely honest, Erik felt the same. He broke out into a sappy grin as he sat back up, face thoroughly flushed as well. He didn’t really stop to dwell on it before, but he was beginning to realize he really did have a special fondness for this delinquent of a man that went past their physical relationship.

"My plan...is to give you something to think about when I’m not around." He finally reached back to wrap his lube-covered hand around El’s waiting length. He watched as his head fell back with a sigh, happy to finally be touched where he wanted. Erik got up on his knees, making sure he was lined up before shooting El a cocky grin. “Ready?”

“Just do it already!” The nagging feeling in El’s head that told him to just sit back and enjoy this finally won out. His legs strained against their bonds as Erik slowly sunk down, dying to meet him halfway. He held his breath, letting it out in a slow shudder. He looked up at Erik, his eyes showing the faintest hint of vulnerability. As unlikely as it was for him to relinquish complete control, something about letting Erik have it- even if only a little and for a very short while- felt good.

Once Erik was fully settled, he reached down to press a single finger against El’s lips.

“What, don’t wanna hear me curse you out?” he mumbled.

Erik grinned. “Yeah, let’s go with that. Keep your mouth shut.” Red and purple magic emanated from the fingertip pressed against El’s lips. “You can still make sounds, don’t worry. And if you want me to stop, just blink hard twice.” He gave El a wink before he reached into the nightstand and pulled out a book. His legs were comfortably folded underneath him like he’d be seated for a while.

“I just didn’t want to hear complaining about this in particular.”

El watched him open the book and tried to groan, but all that came out was a muffled sound of annoyance. He tried to move his hips, but all he could manage was to press himself down into the mattress with the way he was bound. He glared up at the ceiling with a pout. All he could do was lie there and take whatever Erik wanted to give, and it was eventually going to drive him up the wall. Maybe if he behaved Erik would take pity on him.

No. He was getting his way _now_ , damn it. 

El began to whimper and made his eyes as big and sad as he could, complete with tears welling in the corners. He tilted his head to the side in a silent plea.

Erik held back a laugh. “For being a little shit you sure broke down fast.” He bounced his hips a few times before going back to reading. He watched El get more and more aggravated with a small smile. He was so easy to rile up.

If El could have screamed he would have. He felt good for all of two seconds. It was almost worse than him not moving at all. He dug his nails into his palm and extended his middle finger out.

Erik glanced up with a sigh. “You’re a fucking brat, you know that?” He tossed the book over his shoulder and let it hit the floor with a thud. He thought for a moment before leaning forward to undo the seal on El’s mouth. “You can’t insult me.”

El grimaced, his plan thwarted. “Fine, then I won’t say anything.” He turned his head to the side, avoiding Erik’s eyes. Every rude thing he tried to say was suddenly flipped into a compliment when he went to open his mouth. He started to speak and stopped himself three times before he growled and gave up. Erik still wasn’t moving.

“What do you _want_?”

Suddenly Erik moved to kiss him, a hand anchored in his hair as his own resolve finally snapped. When he pulled back he finally began to move, not wasting any time in working up speed. “To ruin you.”

El gasped at the sudden change of pace, his back arching off the bed as much as it could. “Well you’re doing a decent job so far.” He bit his lip, he didn’t even try to stop that from coming out. The longer this went on the less he was going to be able to filter. His arms and legs strained against the bonds as he looked up at Erik with a strange, almost lovestruck expression. He watched him move, his breathing getting heavier each time he brought his hips down.

Erik looked down with half-lidded eyes, amused. “If I didn’t know better…” He laughed breathlessly, “I’d say you’re beguiled.”

El scowled. “Do my eyes look beguiled to you?” He tried to sound intimidating, but his words came out strained as he was brought closer and closer to the edge of his limits. “Don’t you dare stop.”

“You’re not really in a position to be making demands.” He splayed his hands out on El’s chest to steady himself. 

“Don’t finish until I tell you to.” His eyes flashed red to seal the command. “And I’m not stopping.”

El thunked his head down against the pillow, irritated beyond belief. He was right on the edge, and now that’s where he’d stay, teetering between lust-fueled madness and release. He clenched his jaw shut and growled, rolling his head from side to side like a caged animal.

Erik slowed his pace and leaned down to whisper in his ear. “I’m just looking for one thing…” He pulled back just enough to act like he was going to kiss him, but stopped short. “...For you to beg for it.” He bit El’s lip before pulling away.

El snorted, turning his head to the side. “Then we’re both gonna suffer because that’s not happening.” He knew all he had to do to get what he wanted was swallow his pride for a few minutes and play along, but he wasn’t quite desperate enough yet. Another five minutes and he might be, but that was a problem for future El.

Erik slowed down to something agonizingly reminiscent of a boat rocking. “Why am I finding that hard to believe?” He teased his hands down El’s sides, making him squirm.

Frustrated tears pricked the corners of El’s eyes as his body tensed up, wordlessly begging for the release that he refused to ask for. 

“Fuck you.”

“You kinda already are.” Erik smiled mirthfully before reaching up to flick El’s nipple. “I could do this all night.” He honestly couldn’t, but El didn’t know that.

“Why do you need to hear it so badly? Got a thing for it?” He tilted his head back with an exasperated groan, then finally let his eyes flicker back up to where Erik was still smirking over him.

“Nah. I just want you to know how good it feels to give in. Stop fighting it so hard.” He trailed his hand across El’s collarbone before settling back into a steady rhythm. 

El wanted to reach up and touch him. Wanted to pull his hair, leave scratches down his back, make him pay for all of this sweet torture, but all he could do was weakly flex his hands and wiggle his feet to make sure they hadn’t fallen asleep. 

He’d had just about all he could take, so with a heavy sigh he finally let himself break down. He looked up at Erik, his eyes pleading and lip trembling.

“Please. I’m _begging_ you. I’ll do whatever you want, just let me-”

Erik tried not to blush at the sight, going faster and harder until he was just about ready to burst. "When I go you go, okay?"

El nodded weakly, it was all he could manage as he was ridden to the other side of oblivion. He watched Erik's face impatiently as he clung to the edge with what little strength he had left.

Erik tipped his head back with a gasp and grabbed his dick, making a mess of El's chest and stomach. The bonds faded as he came, and El's hands fell to grip at the sheets as he followed suit.

He cast his gaze up towards Erik in a bit of a daze, eyes unfocused and lips slightly parted. His tongue darted out to swipe some of Erik’s mess off the corner of his lip. 

“Nice aim.” He looked down at the rest of him and began to laugh. “Oh, I’m a masterpiece. Brilliant work.” He pulled Erik down next to him, allowing his head to fall on his shoulder. He didn’t cuddle, but they could spare a few moments after _that_.

Erik rolled over to rest his chin on El’s chest. “I’m gonna be honest. That’s the best I’ve ever felt.”

El met his gaze with a shockingly warm smile, the compliment fluffing his ego. “Everyone else is such shit. Guess they can’t all be like us.” 

_Us_. Was there even an “us”? Now was not the time to obsess over whatever this was. He wrenched his eyes shut for a moment and took a deep breath to collect his thoughts. When he opened them again he refused to look down at his partner.

Erik’s heart swelled. _I guess we're a thing now_. Before he could begin to process his feelings, El’s voice broke him from his thoughts as he pointed up at the clock.

“Well, we won’t be making that lunch thing, that’s for sure.” They were already ten minutes late. El waved his hand dismissively. “Oh well. That guy was kinda pushy anyway.”

Erik nodded in agreement, as he sat up. "Let’s shower and get out of here. Next town over’s got a port. We can steal a boat." He pulled El up and out of bed, and into the bathroom with a smile.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a small restaurant across Gallopolis Sylv sighed over the empty plates across from him. He half-expected the boys to stand him up, but it still stung all the same. As he took one last sip from his drink and prepared to pay his check, two very similar-looking ladies sat at the table across from him.

The one dressed in green gave him a sad smile.

"We’re ever so sorry to bother you but…"


	5. What Hurts the Most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Onto Gondolia, where an exploration goes horribly wrong, and the rest of the party finally steps in to help. Poor El's got more going on in his head than he bargained for...

Fully fed up with Gallopolis and the heat, they made their way out of town and toward Gondolia. As they passed through the gates Erik noticed a particularly loaded merchant with quite an assortment in his bags. He lifted as much as he could while the merchant was distracted by some practicing circus performers, including a pretty branch that shimmered with an odd rainbow color.

They managed to sneak through the checkpoint with minimal suspicion, soon passing into a completely different climate. It was much more lush, and a tad too humid for both of their tastes. They settled in a campsite just outside of the Laguna for a quick rest to go over their spoils and plans. Erik pulled the branch out of his bag and handed it to El.

“No idea what this thing is, but it looks sort of important.”

As soon as El grabbed the branch a bright light erupted behind his eyes. He thought he’d passed out as a vision began to come into focus. He saw six colored orbs, much like the one they already had. They were scattered all over Erdrea, and they were needed for some sort of platform that led up to Yggdrasil. When he came to, he looked at Erik with wide eyes.

“What in the fuck was that?! Did you see it too?”

Erik nodded as he packed it away, holding his hand out to help El back up. He looked over in the direction of their next destination, noting the swamp ahead and giving a disdainful pat to his already collapsing hair. 

"Yeah. Seems like Yggdrasil has a mission for you whether you like it or not. And if I saw it correctly…" He dug around in his bag and held up his orb. "This baby will earn quite the pretty penny. Especially if people know that it unlocks the key to get up to ol’ Yggie herself."

Before he could get too ahead of himself, Erik stopped to think. He looked back up at El with a grin. "Although…Imagine how much it would grab if we had the whole set." He put a confident hand on his hip, satisfied with his plan.

El redid his ponytail and returned Erik’s smile. “Wanna take a world tour, then?” 

The thought of seeing the world was exciting considering last month El hadn’t seen anything outside of Cobblestone. And if he was being honest with himself, seeing it all with Erik wasn’t too bad, either. It was only because he was well-traveled, handled himself well, and was a good lay. That was all.

Erik winked, snaking his arm around El’s waist as they walked. "Sure, partner."

He smiled flirtatiously before running ahead, the doors to the city now visible through the vines and trees. El had no chance of keeping up as Erik quickly disappeared into the crowd, off on his own adventure.

* * *

Gondolia was actually pretty nice by El’s standards. Even though he grew up close to the sea, he didn’t really get to enjoy much more than Cobblestone Falls being stuck in the village. He leaned against the railing looking out over the water, letting the breeze ruffle his hair as he devoured a piece of chocolate cake. He turned at the sound of someone approaching, and smiled (icing on his face and all) when he saw it was Erik.

“Enjoying yourself so far?”

Erik joined him, taking his place next to El. “Yeah. That contest going on seems pretty boring. They’re all muscle and no brain.”

He looked up and wiped the frosting off the corner of El’s mouth with a smile. "Unlike you."

“What’s that supposed to mean?” El puffed out his chest, trying to look bulkier. He finished off the last bite of cake and tossed the wrapper into the sea. He lifted his hand to his mouth to lick off the last of the frosting, but before he could Erik grabbed his wrist. Damn his reflexes. 

Erik swiped his tongue over the side of El’s hand to catch the remaining frosting. "I'm saying you're not a dumbass." He looked towards the ocean where El had thrown his garbage and frowned. "At least most of the time. Now wasn't one of those."

El waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine, a monster will eat it or something.” He turned so he was leaning back against the railing with his elbows, his gaze trailing over the busy streets. “So is there anything worthwhile here or should we just head out?”

“Well…” Erik weighed his gold bag in his hand. “Nothing really interesting, but the docks are closed until the stupid muscle pageant is over. So we either enter it to take up time…” He rolled his eyes, clearly not enthused by that suggestion. 

“...Or book a room at the inn and have a little fun.”

El looked out at the stage and grimaced at the buffoons showing off for whoever would stop and pay attention. There was no chance they were going anywhere near that, unless it was to steal from the gawkers. He grabbed Erik’s arm and made for the stairs.

“Let’s go, then.”

They made their way down to the inn, but El didn’t make a move to head up to their room just yet. He tugged Erik back outside and set his sights on one of the gondolas floating in the canal.

“Wanna take a scenic trip around town?”

Erik tilted his head, suspicious. "Uh…sure. Why?" 

He wasn't used to El stopping for "scenic tours" but obliged by stepping into the boat. He was steady on his feet, practiced from years of sailing as he turned back to El with his hand out to help him in.

El looked down at the dirty canal water and then back up to Erik’s extended hand. “Because I want to. Don’t do anything stupid, this water looks disgusting.” 

Gripping Erik’s hand harder than he needed to, El stepped into the wobbling boat and immediately sat down.

Erik laughed. "No sea legs huh? You know it's just gonna be us operating whatever boat we can steal, right?" 

He'd done it before on his own. His first night after leaving, in fact. They could manage with just the two of them. He grabbed the nearby oar and pushed away from the dock, eyes getting misty from the memory.

El looked unsure, glancing around as they started to move down the canal. He’d never operated a boat, and he’d never admit it but he was a bit scared about being out on the open water. When he looked back to Erik he could have sworn he saw him wiping at his eyes. It was probably just the spray from the water.

“Do you think we can do it? I don’t have any experience.” He sat with his arms crossed defensively over his chest.

"Relax, you got me. I can operate a boat with my eyes closed." Which was true if he counted the time he sleep-walked on deck, and managed to completely lower the sails even though they were explicitly stopped to spy. At the least you could say the chief wasn't happy. At worst…

Erik continued to push them along the water, quietly humming.

El sat back as he slowly relaxed. “I guess it’s a good thing I have you around.” 

He wanted to know more about his mysterious traveling partner, especially since he continued to show skill in things El wouldn’t have expected for a petty thief. He leaned forward and rested his chin in his hands. “Where are you from, anyway?”

"Nowhere important." Erik responded quickly as he navigated them around a corner. 

"And no..." He shot El a stern look. "We are _not_ going to visit anytime soon."

El looked offended. He sat back and placed a hand on his chest, feigning shock. “Afraid I’ll burn something down?” The shock turned to playful malice as he snapped his fingers, a small flame flickering. He extended his arm and ignited a stack of crates by the stage. The spectators suddenly scrambled into action to put out the spontaneous fire, looking around to try and figure out how it had happened. 

He looked back at Erik with a smirk, blowing the smoke from his fingers like a smouldering weapon. “That should give those idiots something to do. Honestly, Erik. What kind of a person do you think I am?”

Erik rolled his eyes and kept pushing the boat. "One that has a short fuse. As much as I hate where I’m from, I'd rather just forget about it, okay?" As if he didn't think about it every day. About her.

They soon circled back around to where they started, and Erik docked the gondola with ease. He got out first and held his hand out to help a shaky El back onto dry land.

El wrenched his hand back as soon as he was steady. He walked back up to the street, spotting the inn. The sun was beginning to set, and his stomach growled loud enough to startle him. Burning things did tend to ramp up his appetite. 

“Let’s head back, I’m starving.”

Erik nodded and looked down the row of vendor stalls with a mischievous smile. "You go ahead. I'll grab us a bite."

El was only alone in the room for a few minutes until he heard a short knock at the door. Erik strode in and held up a satchel of stolen food with a lopsided grin. He handed El the bag as he plopped down on the side of the bed to untie his shoes.

"Dinner time."

El happily dug in, pulling out a hunk of fresh bread. Erik’s skills came in handy for the umpteenth time today. He looked over at Erik with a smile, talking between bites. “Guess I really can’t get rid of you if you keep proving your worth over and over like this.” 

He begged the part of his mind that pointed out he couldn’t get rid of Erik even if he wanted to shut up, but it was no use. So much so that even the thought of him leaving left El feeling uncomfortably empty. The fact that another person now had some sort of effect on his emotions was annoying.

Erik smirked as he bit into a fresh kebab, reading El like an open book. "You couldn’t get rid of me even if you tried."

He took another bite and willed away the doubt that sat at the bottom of his stomach like a lead weight.

El sighed and gave up his internal struggle. “No, I guess I wouldn’t. Although I would enjoy watching you walk away.” 

His gaze trailed over Erik’s frame, and he gave him a sly wink once their eyes met. He fought back a blush and tried to force an air of confidence.

Erik chuckled as he threw the kebab skewer away. "Does my ass look that good?" He got up to stand over where El sat on the edge of the bed, a cocky smile on his face. "Never thought it was anything special."

He reached up under the back of Erik’s tunic and gave his ass a decent squeeze before resting his hands on his lower back, pulling him closer. “It does, shame your stupid shirt covers it all the time. Maybe I’ll have to make you something new to show it off.” 

He let go to scoot to the center of the bed and laid back in a silent invitation.

Erik followed, straddling El’s waist with his knees. “Then how will I tease you if it’s all out on display?" He smirked before leaning in to nibble at El's earlobe, not quite able to reach his neck underneath his stupid duster. 

El’s eyes darkened with desire. “I want everyone to see, and I want them to know you’re _mine_.” His growl cut off into a satisfied hum. He looked down at his purple coat and sighed at all the buckles he didn’t feel like undoing. 

“I hate this fucking thing. Should just ditch it.”

His hands found their way under Erik’s shirt again, touching along his stomach until he was stopped short by the sash cinching his waist.

Erik looked down with a lazy smile. “Let’s not have you getting too curious, hm?” He sat back and slowly began to undo all of the buckles, as if it was his own personal striptease. 

“Just go ahead and relax, okay?”

El let his head fall back on the pillow and looked up at Erik while he slowly began to undress him. Something about lying back and letting him do all the work was surprisingly nice. He let his eyes fall shut and let out a breath, fully giving in.

Erik leaned across the bed and grabbed something off of the nearby dresser. He pulled his knife out of its sheath and looked down at El with a raised eyebrow. 

“Let’s try something different tonight.”

El eyed the knife warily. “And what exactly are you planning to do with that?”

Erik pulled El’s shirt up and held the knife a few inches from his skin. “I never got the chance to try this, but I heard it can really get some people off.”

El flinched back as much as he could into the mattress and glared up at Erik. "If you've never done it before then you have no idea what you're doing. If you kill me I'll find a way back and _end_ you."

He looked up with a warning blaze in his eyes that only got brighter when he got an idea. A compromise of sorts.

"How about whatever you do to me, I get to do to you?"

Erik nodded in agreement, and it was settled. Without further warning he lightly dragged the edge down El’s stomach, curiously watching the blood bead in its wake.

El bit back a gasp as the cut began to sting. He took the knife from Erik's hand and held it to his throat as he sat up to face him, slowly inching him closer until their lips met. He made a small cut across Erik's collarbone as he fisted his other hand in his hair to deepen the kiss. 

It burned as he made his cut, and Erik’s sharp breath broke their kiss before he fell back against the bed. He looked up at El with a smile. "Well? Wanna keep going?"

If the look on his face was anything to go by, Erik knew he’d won him over.

El ducked his head down to lick the fresh blood clean from Erik’s collar, and sealed it with healing magic that glowed from his fingertips.

"I'm having fun. Are you?" He handed the knife back, eagerly waiting for his next move.

Erik’s tongue darted out to lick his lips. "I am."

He pressed the knife against El’s cheek next, going stock still when El grabbed his wrist gently.

"Not my face. Anywhere else is fair game." He released his grasp and let him continue. 

His expression quickly fell into a silent apology before running his fingers along El's hip and following with the knife. He handed it over to El for his turn, and Erik began to undo his sash. His eyes darted back to the glimmering blade before El made his next move. "Nowhere on the legs then, for me." 

His confidence wavered, a crack in his armor for just a moment until it surged back with a small shake of his head. 

El nodded in understanding. With the sash gone he tugged the rest of Erik’s tunic down until it slid off his shoulders and pooled around his waist. He reached around like he wanted a hug, but instead gently moved Erik's wrists behind his back. His mark glowed as he sealed them in place with a bond. He trailed the knife down the inside of Erik's arm while his other hand traced down his chest, reveling in the shudder that trembled through his whole body at the touch. 

The reaction he’d pulled from his partner caused a warmth to bloom in his gut, but also in his chest at the same time. His hand moved to cup Erik’s jaw, forcing him to focus his sights on El.

A nervous laugh broke from Erik’s lips, and a slightly nauseous feeling rose up at the hold this beautiful man had over him. 

“Keep it up and you just might have a beguilement problem on your hands.”

El held onto the knife, his grip tightening on the hilt. "I don't see how that's a problem."

He moved until the point was barely pressing against Erik's stomach, and his breathing began to get heavier as his mind began to fog over. He felt his control slipping, almost as if someone else was overriding him from the inside.

_What's happening to me?_

Erik leaned away, his concern growing as he watched El’s eyes completely shade over.

“Hey, you okay? You look a little out of i-”

Searing pain erupted across his abdomen, and his eyes wrenched shut in agony. 

The blade. The blade was in his stomach. 

His survival instincts screamed to run, and images of gold flashed before his eyes before he felt the blood begin to spill down his stomach where it began to stain the sheets. He grit his teeth against the pain and looked up at El in shock and fear.

“E-El! What the hell, you jus-”

When El came to Erik was slumped against him, and a startling amount of blood covered the bedspread and his skin. Hand still firmly holding the knife, he glanced down in horror when he noticed it was buried in Erik's stomach.

“How- But I-...”

He let go and choked back a terrified sob. Tears began to fall as he scrambled off the bed and ran for the door.

_What have I done? I didn’t mean to-_

"El! Wait!" Erik struggled to cry out, his strength quickly leaving as he felt more blood drip down his stomach with every move. By the grace of the goddess alone he managed to slowly and carefully get himself into a standing position, and staggered his way down the stairs. His arms were still useless behind his back as he felt the blood drip down his legs and into his socks.

_Well…this is it. And I didn't even save her._

As he stumbled his way out the door the innkeeper was too preoccupied behind the desk to notice him, assuming he was just another drunk wandering out into the night. Erik leaned against the wall outside of the inn groaning as his back hit the stone. He slid down slowly, wincing as his ass hit the ground. He bit his lip as tears began to gather at the edges of his eyes. He slumped back and his head lolled to the side, his strength completely spent.

"I'm sorry…Mi-"

He picked up the sound of hurried shuffling nearby as his mind lingered at the edge of consciousness. The last thing he heard before passing out was the shocked gasp of a familiar voice.

"Oh dear!"

Serena came around the corner just in time to catch a man falling unconscious. Upon further inspection he was bleeding out quite badly from the stomach. She immediately began to get to work, her hands glowing a bright green with powerful healing magic at the ready.

Veronica was soon at her side, her expression judgemental. "Helping another poor fool who caught the wrong end of a knife in a bar fight? One of these days your blind kindness is going to get us in- Wait. This is the Luminary's little boyfriend!" 

Serena ignored her sister and gently laid him on the ground, bracing one hand against Erik's hip while the other swiftly pulled the blade out. She immediately pressed her hands against the wound, and the magic began to stitch him back together. “I’m afraid he’s lost quite a bit of blood, do you think perhaps he has a room here? Where is the Luminary?”

Veronica rolled Erik onto his side and tugged at the cursed bonds holding his arms flush against his back. "Great. Looks like his curses are getting stronger. His dark magic is too much for me to break." She huffed in frustration before standing up.

"Well, our Luminary is nowhere to be found, so I’m assuming this was his sloppy handiwork. Let's get this trussed up idiot upstairs for a rest. He needs it."

* * *

El collapsed to his knees as soon as he reached the end of the canals, stopping just short of throwing himself into the sea. He held his face in his hands as he let himself break down, his thoughts clouding over to remind him that he was a bad person and didn’t deserve companionship. He scrubbed the tears away only for more to take their place, scowling when he felt a dark presence lurking in the corners of his mind. He looked out to sea, the anger ripping from his throat in a scream.

“Make me hurt whoever you want, but not him. Anyone but him.” He clenched his fists, nails digging into the skin until it stung.

_You needed a reminder of why you are here. Do not let him distract you, or next time it will be fatal. Your goal is the tree. The sword._

El laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “Like that wasn’t fatal. He’s probably already dead.”  
He choked back another sob and his eyes widened as realization dawned. Maybe he could still save him. He heard the ghost of maniacal laughter fading from his mind as anger and sorrow turned to panic. He turned and spat into the ocean before righting himself.

“Fuck off, you creepy prick.”

He ran as fast as he could back to the inn, shoving people out of his way as he hurried through the streets.

Back at the inn Erik was tucked into bed, the bloodied sheets from earlier tossed away and replaced. They’d found the room easily enough; there was a pretty obvious blood trail leading back to the open door. Each of the twins pulled a chair up and looked him over as he rested.

"What do you think happened to him?"

Veronica scoffed. "Lover’s quarrel, probably. Maybe our cursed Luminary finally turned on him." She mused as she looked onward. "But most of the blood was on the bed..." She crossed her arms, thoroughly annoyed by the assumption.

Erik stirred and began to mumble in his sleep. The twins leaned closer to listen in, and it seemed like he was babbling about boats and sailing.

Serena rested a gentle hand on the side of the bed. “Can you hear me? If you can, could you tell us your name? We found you outside and fixed you up. You’re safe now.” 

"M…Mia…" Erik rolled over with a grunt as he fell back into a deeper sleep.

Serena’s brow wrinkled in delicate confusion. “Mia? Is that his name?”

Veronica snorted. “Well that doesn’t sound very intimidating.” 

“Oh, hush. We’re trying to help him, not make fun of his name.” She made a shooing motion towards the door. “Why don’t you go and get a glass of water for when he wakes up?”

Veronica rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Yeah, yeah. I'm going."

She jumped back startled when she bumped into an exhausted-looking El immediately on the other side of the door. His eyes were wide and he was out of breath, like he’d run across town. She put a hand on her hip and accusingly jabbed him in the chest with her pointer finger.

“You! What in the _hell_ did you do to him? If we would have shown up any later he would have bled out.”

El tried to keep his lip from trembling. “Is he okay?”

“He’s on the mend, no thanks to you. I shouldn’t even let you in there.” She stepped aside and began to walk down the hall. “If you so much as look at my sister the wrong way, I’ll fucking kill you. That’s a promise.”

El nodded in understanding and stepped into the room. Serena looked up from her seat and gasped when she saw him, a spell readied at her fingertips in defense. "Don't come any closer to poor Mia. He's recovering."

Despite her warning, he took another step closer. 

“Who the hell is Mia?” He looked to the bed and saw Erik fast asleep, no blood to be found. He saw the glow at Serena’s fingertips brighten and waved his hand dismissively. 

“Stand down, I’m not going to hurt either of you.” He knelt next to the bed and checked him over. At least it didn’t look like he was in any pain.

“Where did you find him?”

"Just outside of the inn. He was passed out on the ground when we found him." She moved the sheets aside, revealing his still-bound arms. She gently poked at them, flinching back when the magic sparked against her hand. "We can't seem to remove this spell. It’s clearly dark magic, do you know anything about it?"

El poorly feigned a look of shock. “Where did that come from?”

Serena was skeptical at best. She could sense that it was his magic, but she wouldn’t call him out on it. She could tell his guilt was great enough. 

“He was bound when we found him. Could you try to break it? It feels similar to your type of magic.”

El knew his lie was flimsy at best, but he also knew this girl was probably too polite to question him any further. Her sister on the other hand...would have been much more vocal. He stepped closer and placed his hand on the bonds. They slowly faded away, and he repositioned Erik’s arms back down by his sides before pulling the sheet back up to his neck.

“They’re gone. Simple enough.” He sat down in Veronica’s chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Were you the one that healed him? Must have some pretty powerful magic if you were able to patch him up by yourself.”

Serena’s smile was kind, but her eyes were wary. "Yes. I've been practicing since I was a little girl. Your friend wasn't well, but I've seen much worse."

Before she could go on to explain that the main reason she was taught such magic was to aid him, Veronica arrived with a pitcher of water and stack of glasses. 

"Oh good, you were able to free the fool." She poured a glass and set it down at Erik's bedside.

"Here you are, Mia."

El was thoroughly confused, his frustration finally bubbling over. 

“Why are you calling him that? That’s not his name.”

Serena tilted her head. "We just asked him before you arrived and he said clear as day that it was Mia."

El shook his head dismissively. “No, his name is Erik. At least that’s what he told me back in the dungeons…”

Insecurity gnawed at his heart. Had Erik given him a fake name? Was Mia someone from his past he never mentioned? He chewed his lip as the thoughts stewed. They had a lot to talk about when he came to.

* * *

It wasn't until morning that Erik finally woke. His hands immediately flew up to the now pristine skin at his stomach. All that remained was the faintest of scars where there was a gaping wound only hours before. 

"Wh- I'm healed? How?"

He looked around the room for who may have helped him, only finding El fast asleep on the floor.

Erik scrambled back against the headboard and quietly slipped his way around El as he got out of bed. A little dizzy, he grabbed his things and bolted for the door. He needed to get out of here and away from that monster-

"Mia!"

He froze, his legs refusing to work.

Serena had just come out of her room with Veronica and Sylvando in tow, and had just caught Erik making his way towards the stairs.

“Good morning! How are you feeling?” She moved closer, hoping to check his wound.

Erik staggered back. "I'm fine. H-how did you know I was hurt?" _And why are you calling me by my sister's name?_

Serena covered her mouth with her hand in shock at his reaction. He must not remember, the poor thing.

“Why don’t we discuss this over breakfast?”

Erik looked back behind his shoulder. No sign of El.

“Fine.”

Once they were seated in the dining room, Serena folded her hands in front of her and gave Erik a warm smile to try and make Erik feel comfortable with a table full of strangers.

“My sister and I found you bleeding out in the street last night. We patched you up and we brought you back to your room.”

Erik sighed, swirling the coffee around in his mug. He’d robbed them blind back in Hotto, and in turn they’d saved his life.

"Thank you. For helping me."

Serena and Sylvando nodded with matching smiles while Veronica watched him, her guard still up.

"So where's your other half? You ditch him?"

Erik’s expression soured. "Still upstairs, asleep on the floor." He finished his coffee and stood up to leave. "Thanks again." 

The door was close, yet he was stopped before he could make a run for it. Sylvando rested a firm hand on his shoulder and held him in place. He was stronger than he looked.

"Honey, are you okay? You don't have to go back, you know."

Erik sighed. "I'm not going back. I'm gonna go back to what I was doing before all of this.” There was the slightest tug at his heart, but the pain from last night was still very fresh in his mind. 

“I really liked him, but he _stabbed_ me."

Just as he finished speaking, El pushed open the dining room doors and spotted him across the restaurant.

Erik’s head turned to meet his gaze, and without missing a beat he drew his knife and beckoned El closer. "Think it's fun to lead me on like that, huh? Well I got some news for you, asshole."

El could feel the anger radiating off of Erik from across the room, and he knew he only had one shot to explain himself before he either sliced him to ribbons or ran off. Or both.

He put his hands up in surrender, signalling he didn’t want to fight. 

“Erik, listen. I can explain. Last night, I-”

He didn’t get any further as Erik leaped over an empty table and collided with El, knocking him to the floor with a snarl.

Sylvando stood up from where he sat, hand over his mouth in shock. “Oh, goodness. You couldn’t have taken this outside? These poor people are just trying to enjoy their breakfast!” He scurried over to where they’d landed to try and hustle them out of the restaurant.

Erik held his knife against El’s throat, his knee pressed into his chest to hold him down.

El looked up at him with wide eyes as he tried to choke out his excuse. “Erik it...wasn’t me! The voice...took control...stabbed you.”

He let out the rest of his breath with a strangled gasp as the blade pressed harder against his skin, leaving a tingling burn.

"Yeah, right. Why should I believe you?" Erik hissed through his teeth. 

“Because...I’d never hurt you...on purpose.” El’s eyes watered in desperation, the pressure on his chest and throat too great to make any more of an argument. If Erik saw fit to slice his throat, then so be it.

The others watched on in concern, Serena with a healing spell ready on the tips of her fingers while Sylv and Veronica apologized to the people who were sitting nearby.

Erik took a deep breath before he stood, the anger still plain on his face as he stomped down on El’s chest as hard as he could. A loud crack echoed off the rafters, and Erik turned with a huff as he walked out. 

“Should’ve known this wouldn’t end well.”

El’s breath left his body as he felt a rib snap under Erik’s weight, his eyes wide as he gasped in pain. 

“What-?” At least he guessed they were a little closer to even now.

He blinked and Serena’s glowing hands were on him, the snapped rib slowly cracking back into place. Once she backed away he sat up and tore out of the restaurant without another word. He needed to find Erik and make him listen. He couldn’t just let him go.

Erik snuck along the docks and looked over the boats as he decided which one to commandeer. He stopped in front of a rather gaudy one that was only being tended to by a lone person. It was big enough to house quite a crew, but with how lavish it was he doubted they would have any combat experience.

He tiptoed down the dock and climbed up a nearby pole, undoing his sash and tying it to catch the wind as he glided across and onto the deck. He landed as quietly as he could and quickly yanked up his hood.

The others made their way down to the docks to leave, waving El down to join them along the way. Veronica nudged his leg from where he sat against a barrel, looking out to sea listlessly.

“Hey, dumbass. Might as well come with us since you so _rudely_ declined the first time. Forget about your idiot boyfriend.”

He blinked up at Veronica and took her offered hand to help stand back up. He wished he could forget Erik. All he’d wanted to do since last night was explain himself and apologize. He followed the others along the docks, and was thoroughly impressed with the boat Sylvnado stopped in front of.

“Well darlings, here she is! The Salty Stallion! All aboard!” He ushered them up the gangplank, looking around for his first mate, Davé.

Davé walked out on deck when he heard Sylv’s voice. He was a big, burly, pink hood-wearing strongman, and on his shoulder was none other than Erik, trussed up and struggling.

"Oi Sylv! She's ready to go, just gotta drop this stowaway off at the Doge's!"

Veronica sighed. "What are the fucking chances?"

El stepped up beside her. “You weren’t wrong when you called him an idiot.” He walked up to Davé and pointed up to Erik. “That’s mine. I can take it from here.”

Davé looked between Sylv and El. With a nod from Sylvando, he set Erik into El’s waiting arms. 

Erik chewed at the rag tied around his mouth and glared at El before turning his head away.

Sylvando showed him down below deck to the living quarters, and he nodded in thanks as he chose a room. Once they were alone, he set Erik down in a chair and reached for the gag.

“If you swear you’ll shut up and listen, I’ll take this off.”

Erik growled through the cloth, refusing to cooperate. He struggled against the rope holding him in place before he let his head thump back against the chair in defeat.

El sighed and dragged a hand down his face. He turned and reached for the door, waiting for Erik to react.

“Fine, suit yourself.”

Erik turned his head and ignored El as he spoke, not ready or willing to talk.

El shrugged and closed the door behind him without looking back. He’d talk sooner or later. 

He met up with the others back above deck to lay some ground rules and ask a few questions.

“Okay, just so we’re clear. We go where I say, got it?” He looked to Sylvando. “This may be your ship, but we’re playing by my rules.”

Sylvando waved him off with a wink. “Whatever you say, honey. Now, where to? What kind of adventure were you two lovebirds on before we found you?”

El grimaced at the word ‘lovebirds’. They definitely weren’t anything short of enemies now. Erik was practically a hostage down in his bunk.

“We’re after the six orbs. Any idea where to find them?”

Sylvando put a finger to his chin in thought. "Hmm…I’d heard rumors that there’s an orb as a prize at the Mixed Martial Arts tournament in Octagonia."

“Then let’s head over there.”

Serena walked over to join them, her hands clasped against her chest. “How is Mia doing? You didn’t leave the poor thing tied up down there, did you?”

El’s eyes narrowed. “Erik. His name is Erik. I don’t care what he said while he was out cold. That’s not his name.”

El turned on his heel and stormed back down below deck. He threw the door to his bunk open and tore Erik’s gag off, shoving him up against the wall by his throat.

“Who is Mia? The twins said you told them that was your name.”

Erik glared up at him. "I was unconscious all night after you fucking stabbed me. So I don't know what you’re talking about."

The voice spoke in El's mind again, this time loud and clear.

_He’s lying. Tell him you know he’s lying._

His eyes refocused on Erik with a scowl. 

“You’re lying. Tell me the truth.”

"Why should I?" he spat.

El moved to hold him by the chin, his eyes just as intense. His eyes glowed purple as he stared back, stepping away with a smirk. 

“Because I told you to. Now, _tell me_. Who is Mia?”

Erik let his head fall to the side, his mouth fighting a battle he couldn’t win. He kept his eyes on the floor. "My sister. She's my sister.” He looked up at El, but the anger was gone. It was replaced with a bitter disappointment.

“And you know this isn't the way to earn any bit of my trust back."

El’s eyes widened a little at the admission. He had no idea Erik had a sister. He never talked about her. And the fact that he was so guarded about it made El think something bad must have happened between them. He snapped his fingers to dispel the commands, feeling the slightest twinge of guilt for using it under his frustration to get answers.

“That’s fine, I don’t need your trust.” He turned to leave again, exhausted from the day they’d already had. It wasn’t even noon.

“And for what it’s worth, _I_ didn’t stab you. I blacked out, and when I came to the knife was stuck in your gut. You know just as much as I do.”

As soon as El stepped out into the hallway, he came face to face with Sylvando, the twins in tow.

“Honey, let the poor boy free. We’re far enough out that he’s not going anywhere until we get to Zwaardsrust.”

El leaned back against the door as he pushed it open. “Fine, but he’s in a bad mood.”

Erik looked up at the sound of the door opening again, glaring when he saw it was El.

“Fuck off,” he hissed as he slumped back against the chair, exhausted from struggling. At this point I’m willing to just stay tied up if you’ll leave me alone.”

El tried to mask the hurt on his face as he sat down on the bed across from him. The others filed in behind him. Serena knelt down beside Erik and untied the ropes, healing here and there where they’d begun to rub his skin raw. 

Now freed, he sat up and wringed his wrists, leveling a steady gaze on El. 

“You tried to kill me, and then made me spill about my past. Against my will.”

Veronica sat beside El and leaned forward on her knees. “I hate to say it, but for once he’s telling the truth. That’s why we were so close to the inn when we were. We felt the dark energy and came to investigate.”

“So he really didn’t do it?” Erik wasn’t completely convinced, but his anger began to dissolve.

El sighed heavily and dropped his head into his hands. "That's what I've been trying to tell you." He looked up and couldn't meet anyone's eyes as he explained. 

"There's someone...or some _thing_ in my head. Most of the time it's quiet, but every now and then it tells me what to do. Last night I think it…" he shuddered, remembering the feeling that fell over his mind when he lost control. "...I think it took control of me."

Erik groaned in frustration. Even with the twins’ word it still sounded made up. "Then do it again."

“It’s not that simple,” he sneered back. “Besides, do you think I _like_ being a puppet?”

As soon as he said the last word, he felt the fog slowly begin to creep back into his mind. This had to be some kind of sick joke. His hands flew up to grip the sides of his head, his jaw clenched shut.

“No! Get out, you _bastard_!” Before he could try to fight it off, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed onto the floor. After a few moments of shocked silence while everyone watched on in horror, he blinked his eyes open to reveal nothing but purple.

_"Now, what was that about a puppet?"_

The voice and subsequent laughter that came from El’s mouth was nothing like his voice. It was darker and laced with malice.

El’s eyes locked on Erik, and his mouth broke into a chilling smile.

_"Don’t test me, thief. I know where she is."_

Just as quickly as the entity had taken hold it released him like the flick of a lightswitch, and El dropped back down to the floor in a lifeless heap. He slowly sat up with a groan and blinked up at the others, his eyes wide with terror.

His voice wavered as he spoke. “Believe me now?”

Everyone jumped back from the display and stood shocked in place except for Erik. He looked down at El with his arms crossed. So he was telling the truth.

"You need to get that fixed." He tentatively reached down to help El up, terrified that he would change again.

El hated the way everyone, and especially Erik, was looking at him. He took Erik’s offered help and took a step back as soon as he was steady on his feet.

“Yeah, I’ll put it at the top of my ‘to do’ list.” 

Without another word he shoved everyone out of the room and into the hallway, closing and locking the door behind him. Now that he was alone, he flopped down on the bed and curled up as small as he could. He wrapped his arms around himself and bit his lip, trying to will the tears away.

His life was not his own. It never had been. Between this voice and Yggdrasil, El began to cry as he mourned the fact that he’d never be able to just be _himself_.

El cried himself to the brink of exhaustion at the thought, and when he was finally empty the numbness that followed was just short of comforting. He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling beams, eyes red and irritated. He hated this stupid journey, he hated the voice in his head, and he hated himself for getting attached to Erik so quickly.

He rolled over to his side and hugged his pillow tight enough that the seams stretched, threatening to burst. Maybe once they made landfall he could just go off on his own, collect the rest of the orbs, and get all of this over with as quickly as possible so he could get back to his own life.

Back out in the hall the twins excused themselves to speak somewhere more privately while the others wrapped their heads around what had just happened.

Erik sighed in annoyance before looking over at Sylvando, unsure what to do now. Sylv led them back above deck and moved to take his leave, but stopped when Erik turned to ask him a question. 

"So uh…how long have you been sailing?"

“Oh, for quite some time now. I haven’t had much of a chance since joining the circus, but before that I was all over!” He watched how Erik visibly relaxed as he looked out over the ocean.

“How about you, sweetheart? Do any sailing before getting caught up in all this?”

"Here and there. I used to be a pirate." He didn’t really want to give any further information, and luckily this time Sylvando didn’t pry.

They rested against the railing in silence for a few moments. “Have you ever thought about going back to it?”

Erik sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, but...bad memories." 

He took a deep breath and let the salt air fill his lungs. "Someday, maybe."

Sylv watched Erik with curiosity. He had a feeling there was a lot more to him than just El’s partner in crime. He patted Erik’s shoulder before turning to walk away. 

“I’m sure you’ll get back to it someday, darling.”

Back below deck in a bunk of their own, Veronica and Serena sat cross-legged on one of their beds.

“That energy...It was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before aside from last night at the inn. If I’m being honest it made me rather sick to my stomach. It’s pure evil.”

Veronica nodded. “There’s no way it’s coming from the Luminary. Something is polluting him, and we’re going to find out what. I’ll bet underneath all of it he’s still in there. We need to check out the Royal Library once we pass through Sniflheim. I’m sure we can find some answers there.”


	6. Heartache Medication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps our Darkspawn isn't as dark as he thought...

The ship pulled to a stop, signaling they’d finally arrived in Zwaardsrust. It was unusually quiet as everyone made their way down to the dock.

El looked out over the seemingly endless wheat fields, then over to where Erik was avoiding his gaze. “So where to?” 

“Octagonia.” He pointed in the distance and began to walk down the dirt path that ran between the fields.

El jogged to catch up with him, completely ignoring every signal Erik was throwing that he didn’t want to talk. 

“What do you know about it?” He was desperate for any form of conversation, even if he didn’t really care about the subject. They hadn’t really talked since they left Gondolia, and it left El feeling lonely.

“It’s a great place to get drunk, fight, and generally have a good time,” he laughed. “Derk and I used to stop by Dundrasil to steal from the ruins when cash got tight. Hit up Octagonia afterward.”

Dundrasil...why did that sound familiar? After thinking hard about it for a moment or two, he remembered the letter from Cobblestone and scoffed.

_Oh yeah, I’m the lost prince or something._

He had no desire to see the ruins. What was dead deserved to stay that way, memories and all. Drinking and fighting sounded pretty good, though.

* * *

Octagonia wasn’t like anything El had ever seen before. He stood by the entrance and scanned the infinite amount of stairs. His gaze stopped on the giant statue in the middle of town. 

“Who the hell is that?”

Sylvando extended his arm up towards the statue with a smile. “That’s Sir Hendrik of Heliodor! He saved this town from a horrible beast years ago. Nasty thing hid away in the caverns under the city.”

"Hendrik...wait. He's the dick who threw me in jail back in Heliodor." El grimaced. He didn’t want to run into the stuffy knight again if he could help it.

The group was quickly approached by an excitable bunny girl who told them all about the fighting tournament happening. Fighters from all over Erdrea had gathered to test their skills against the best. 

Erik grinned at the news. “Well, why don’t we just sit back and watch everyone else fight it out? Then we can steal the stupid orb at the end and get out of here.”

El stretched his arms over his head. "Sounds like a plan. I'm still a little tired from the boat trip. I definitely wasn't built for sea travel." 

That was half true. He hadn’t managed to get much rest, but it wasn’t because of the boat.

The fights were entertaining enough, if you were into buffed out morons beating the crap out of each other. El watched Erik more than anything else, who was still very obviously avoiding his gaze. Once the bell rang to signal the first round was over, El ducked out and headed down to the tavern.

Erik watched him go and relaxed. He could finally sit and enjoy the fights without feeling so watched. He rested his chin in his hand as his gaze wandered down to the fighter who called himself ‘Golden Boy’. He’d be cute if it wasn’t for the stupid outfit. He folded his arms behind his head and leaned back, jumping when someone suddenly appeared in the seat beside him.

He looked her over out of the corner of his eye. Her jet black hair fell down to her waist, and she held a purple butterfly mask in her hands. So she was a fighter. 

Underneath her graceful front it was clear to see she could be a threat. A weapon wrapped in the image of a beautiful flower.

“Can I help you?”

She raised her chin, and although she wasn’t any taller than Erik, she had an air of intimidation about her.

“You can. Where did your friend go? The one in the purple coat.” She watched Erik’s expression, not at all expecting him to be helpful. But she had to try before resorting to more...persuasive measures.

"Don't know." Erik took a long sip of his drink. "Don't care. I'm only following the guy to get my debts paid."

The woman hummed in thought, and uncrossed her legs to get up and leave. “Alright, then. Thanks anyway.” Before Erik could turn and look, she was gone.

Meanwhile, down in the tavern and already on his second drink, El sat with his food only half-eaten. His appetite wasn’t as rampant as usual, but his desire to drink until he couldn’t see straight was as strong as ever.

That evil prick couldn’t control him if he was drunk off his ass.

Another drink appeared in front of El without him asking. He looked over to the bartender with his eyebrow raised in a silent question. He pointed over to an old man sitting at the other end of the bar. When El made eye contact, the man got up to move closer.

_Great. Some lonely old guy here to chat my ear off about the ‘good ol’ days’._

The old man sat down with a small smile. “Well hello there, laddie. I willnae beat out around the bush, now…” He smiled underneath his mustache, mirth sparkling in his eyes. “Could I see your left hand? I believe you have a rather _interesting_ birthmark.”

He pointed to the mark in question, and watched in shock as it began to glow a dim purple. A gasp escaped the old man at the color, sensing the evil trapped within it.

El rolled his eyes as he took a long swig. “Yeah, what about it? I’m no Luminary. Sorry to disappoint.” He smirked, making the mark glow brighter as his eyes began to match. Hopefully it would scare him off. He would treasure the day when weird strangers stopped coming up to him to blather on about Luminary nonsense.

“Aye, that isnae true. There is a great evil in you, but that’s not who you are. I…well you see, laddie…”

He dug among his things and pulled out a necklace that looked similar to the one Amber reluctantly gave El before he’d left Cobblestone. 

“I’m your grandfather. Former King of Dundrasil.”

El’s hand moved down to his chest, where his own matching pendant sat under his shirt. His half-inebriated mind tried to catch up to what the old man had said, and it slowly began to click. He looked over, wide-eyed.

“How did you find me?”

Rab chuckled. “That’s a question for ol' Yggdrasil, laddie.” He relaxed. “I’m just glad to have found you, and we can get to removing that curse later. I’m just so glad to see you're alive and well.”

El leaned closer to whisper, his breath laced with ale. “You can fix me? Because the guy I was with hates me now, and there’s this voice-” El cut himself off before he rambled too much. This man was still a stranger. What if he’d stolen that pendant? He suddenly got suspicious and pulled his flagon against his lip.

“How do I know you’re not just claiming that to get close to me? Who paid you?”

Rab sighed. “Do you think anyone knows you're even alive? The Luminary was presumed dead with the fall of Dundrasil.” He took a long drink from his mug before setting it down. 

“I don’t know how ta prove it to you, but rest assured, I am.”

El leaned back, almost far enough to fall out of his seat and squinted his eyes. He couldn’t tell if they looked enough alike to be related or not.

He downed the rest of his drink and wobbled off of the barstool. “There’s a group of us here for a few days, I’ll catch you later.” El waved over his shoulder as he stumbled out of the bar and into the streets.

Soon enough he’d slowly ambled his way up the stairs and back to the inn. Erik sat in the lobby with a bored expression while he stared out the window and watched people pass by. His eyes trailed up when El stumbled in and he quickly pulled his hood up and hid his bright sash, hoping he wouldn’t be spotted.

And he wasn’t. El was too focused on the stairs, and how he was going to handle them when there were forty fuckin’ more. His boot slipped on the very first one and brought him crashing down with a loud thud. His chin hit the railing on the way, and he held his face with one hand with a groan as he tried to right himself.

Erik contemplated for a moment before standing up with a huff. He wound his sash around his neck and face as a scarf and made his way over to the stairs. He helped El back up into a sitting position and turned to leave before a feeble hand gripped his arm.

“Wait.”

Erik tensed. Had he already recognized him?

"I'm not helping you to your room." He lowered the pitch of his voice to disguise it.

El fought back a pitiful sniffle. “Don’t wanna go up there anyway. Too lonely.”

Erik sighed as he leaned an arm against the railing. "Aren't we all." 

He tried to remove El's hand and sighed in annoyance when he gripped tighter. "You gonna let go, or...?"

He tried to disguise his sob as a cough. “He hates me. I messed everything up and now...” He sniffled again, wiping his bloody lip and nose on his sleeve. “...I should just go off on my own and leave. He’d be happier. And I couldn’t hurt him.”

Erik frowned behind the makeshift scarf. “Who? What did you do to him?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "Couldn't possibly be that bad."

El knew it was going to sound stupid, but this kind-hearted stranger probably wouldn’t even care. He’d never see this person again in his life, so there was no harm in baring his heart a little when he felt like he had no one else to talk to.

“My...boyfriend. I accidentally stabbed him. It wasn’t my fault, though! I tried to explain it, but…” He went quiet for a moment, thinking. “And I might have mind controlled him a little. Doesn’t matter now, though. Never got to tell him.” He hiccuped, looking up at the stranger with sad eyes. Something about this person was familiar, but he couldn’t place what.

Erik kept his eyes closed and pulled the scarf tighter. He didn't want to be recognized. Not now.

"Tell him what?"

He took a deep breath. He’d never said it out loud before, but what better time than tipsy and busted up in an inn lobby with a total stranger?

“That I really liked him.”

"Liked him…?" Erik raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, you know. That feeling that makes your heart beat weird and you feel like you have to throw up. But in a good way.”

Erik laughed and kneeled down next to him. His head tilted back and the hood fell.

"So you loved him?"

El clammed up immediately, and his face went bright red. “I, uh...was it you the whole time?”

Erik sighed. "Yes, you dumbass. Was the scarf really that difficult to see past?" He cracked a smile before his expression faded into something more serious. 

"So you mean it?" 

El pouted, his face still red. “Don’t make a big deal about it or anything.”

Erik laughed and leaned in to kiss him, whispering against his lips. "I'll make the biggest deal out of it." 

It took him a moment to react, but when he did he wrapped his arms around Erik, pulling him as close as he could. His split lip stung at the contact, but it was well worth it.

When they pulled apart, Erik wrinkled his nose. "Your breath stinks." 

El was too dazed to respond with anything intelligent. “This is really happening, right?”

Erik smoothed his hand over El's tangled hair as a slight smile crossed his face. 

"Yeah. It is."

He leaned heavily against Erik as he tried to stand. “Good ‘cause I’m really tired all of a sudden. Can you help me up the stairs? Y’know, since you _love me_.” He stuck his tongue out and ended up biting it in the process.

"Come here, idiot." Erik wrapped his arm around El’s waist and led him to his own room down the hall. He set him down on the bed, lingering in the doorway as he looked back. El was already asleep, light snores accompanying the slow rise and fall of his chest.

Erik smiled to himself before turning to walk back down the hallway, but he didn’t get far. He gasped when two people in masks grabbed and quickly subdued him with a spell. Just as his consciousness slipped away he watched them move to grab El as well.

* * *

El woke up on the ground. His hand immediately flew up to hold his aching head. He sat up slowly and realized he didn’t recognize where they were. It was dark, and the only thing he could see were moss-covered ruins surrounding them.

Erik groaned beside him and pulled himself up, his hand twitching toward his knife. He looked around with the same lack of recognition as El.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I really gotta piss." He moved to get up, but stopped when two people stepped out from the shadows. 

El looked up at their assailants and gasped when he recognized the older man. "It's you again. Were you the one who brought us here?"

The woman with the long ponytail nodded. “I didn’t think you would listen to us without a fight. This was much easier.” 

The old man shook his head in an apology. “I told her to wait just a wee bit longer. I thought we could convince you to learn more.” 

He stepped aside and held his arms out with a sad smile. “Welcome to your auld home. Well, what used to be. This is Dundrasil.”

El’s vision finally came into focus as he looked around. There wasn’t much here, and what was left nature had already reclaimed. Rab stood by a carved headstone and gestured for El to join him.

“What’s…?” He stood up and walked over.

“Your parents. The King and Queen of Dundrasil. Why they died and an auld man like me survived is anyone’s guess, but perhaps Yggdrasil really does have a plan.” 

He looked over at El and shook his head. Eleanor would have been devastated to find that her only son had been corrupted by the forces of darkness.

El didn’t feel any sorrow for his parents or for Dundrasil, but he could easily tell that this man, presumably his only blood relative left, had lost a lot. The young woman approached them with her arm outstretched.

“If you would follow me, there’s one last thing we need to ask of you.”

It was a short climb up the grassy hill behind the castle, and they soon arrived in front of a stone altar. The woman who introduced herself as Jade stepped aside to let El pass, but put her other arm out to keep Erik from following. “This ceremony can only be performed by those of the Drasilian royal family.”

He crossed his arms as he stood back and watched El follow the old man’s lead. They ignited the dried branches and leaves that had been laid out on the altar, and the smoke swirled up into the night sky. As it did, thousands of butterflies made of a pale pink light fluttered overhead, and up towards Yggdrasil.

“All of the lost spirits from the night Dundrasil fell. They can finally find peace.”

El nodded, and turned to leave when his duty was done. His head was beginning to hurt, and that usually wasn’t a good sign. He pushed past Erik and Jade to head back down to the ruins for a moment alone.

Erik sensed the change in El’s mood and ran to follow him. When he finally caught up, he gasped and staggered backwards at the purple aura already glowing around him. He was crouched down against a half-crumbled wall, hands gripping the sides of his head as less-stable structures close by began to shake and topple with the pulses of energy rolling off of him. When he noticed he had company his eyes flew open, irises gone.

“Don’t come any closer. Please.”

Erik looked around in a panic, not sure what to do. He ignored El’s warning, and instead ran straight at him. 

Jade and the older man, Rab, soon caught up and watched curiously from a distance. This must have been what the poor boy had mentioned earlier in the tavern. It was much worse than he’d expected. The energy coming from him was downright evil, there was no mistaking it.

“Erik, no!” He reached out in a feeble attempt to keep him away, but it was no use. He felt strong arms wrap around him as Erik whispered words of comfort against his shoulder. El gripped the back of his tunic like a vice, trying desperately to fight off the darkness taking hold in his mind.

“C’mon El, fight it! You can do this. Don’t let it control you.” Erik stroked his hand across El’s back and flinched when his grip tightened even more.

El wrenched his eyes shut and grit his teeth hard enough that his jaw began to cramp. One last burst of energy left him, throwing Erik onto his back by the force. The purple aura faded away, leaving El gasping for air on the ground. His hands threaded through his hair while tears of anger and frustration trailed down his face. 

“It’s only gonna get harder. I can’t keep him out forever.”

Rab cautiously approached them and rested a hand on El’s shoulder. “So this is what you meant earlier, is it? That’s quite the curse, but I think I may have something to help you cope until we figure out how to break it.”

Erik looked up and sighed. “This curse, whatever it is…it’s using him. It made him stab me.” His eyes narrowed. “So do whatever you need to break it.”

Rab twirled his mustache around his finger in thought. “We can try to subdue it for now, but we’ll need to swing by the Royal Library in Sniflheim to get the information on how to break it for good.”

El sat and half-listened while they made plans. He felt like a failed science experiment, and the more he thought about it the worse it made him feel. He stood up, interrupting the conversation.

“We need to go back. There’s something we still need back in Octagonia.”

Jade reached into her bag and pulled out the yellow orb with a smile. “I also left a note for the rest of your group to come meet us here. Shouldn’t be too much longer.”

Erik looked at El and gently took his hand. He relaxed a little at the touch, but it was easy to see he was still shaken up.

He looked to Erik, his eyes still a little glossy. “Can we take a walk while we wait for the others?”

Erik nodded and stood, following El as they walked along the outskirts of the ruins.

"What's up?"

“I’m still a little on edge. Needed to get away from everyone.” He looked out over the cliffs, wondering how much longer their other companions would be. He was more than ready to get out of here.

"Aren't I part of everyone?" Erik sat among the dew-dotted grass as it glittered in the early morning sunlight cresting over the horizon. He pulled up a wildflower and gently placed it in El’s hair.

El leaned into the touch. “No, you’re not.”

He fisted his hand in the grass and yanked a clump out, letting it scatter into the wind. “Thanks for earlier, but you really didn’t have to do that. Last thing I want is a repeat of…” 

He lowered his head as a shiver ran down his spine at the unpleasant memory.

Erik took his hand. "Then I'll hold onto the pointy stuff whenever it happens, okay?"

He gave El’s hand a squeeze before stretching and laying back against the spongy grass, pulling El with him.

They stayed like that for a while. It was quiet except for the steady rhythm of their breathing as they watched the sun rise. El moved their joined hands up to his mouth to kiss the back of Erik’s. He didn’t want to leave this spot, this one peaceful moment he’d been granted. He glanced over at Erik with a frown before he let go and stood up. 

“We should probably get back.”

Erik stood as well. He saw the dejected look on El’s face and quickly decided it didn’t suit him. He grabbed El by the shoulders and pulled him in for a hug.

"El? I...I appreciate that you’re here. And that we’re...together." He hugged him tighter, not wanting to let go just yet.

El’s breath caught in his throat. He wasn’t expecting the sudden sentiment. “I do too. Thanks for sticking around.”

As the pair crested the hill, they spotted the rest of their group gathered by the entrance to the ruins. El had never been happier to see them. Once situated, they began to plan their next destination.

"If we need all six, we should go through the Valorian strait. Sniflheim has the blue orb and the open ocean would expand our passage for further travel. You mentioned you have a boat?" Jade turned to Sylvando who nodded with a smile and a flick of his wrist.

"Oh but of course darling, shall we head out?"


	7. You Make It Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing to warn about in this one other than some good ol' playful hidden bondage. We've got explicit consent and it's totally hidden from the public eye. It'll make sense! For once the boys have a day where nothing tries to kill them.

The party backtracked through Dundrasil’s foothills back into Zwaardsrust, and before they could make their way down to the docks, Eleven’s unwelcome visitor piped up in his head.

_Not so fast, Darkspawn. There is an orb hidden here._

He furrowed his brow and looked around. All that was here were empty fields and some ruins still seething with dark magic decades after they were reduced to such. El stopped and called out to the others before they got too far ahead.

“Hold on. There’s an orb around here.”

Erik turned and gave him a skeptical look. “Really? We were through here before and you didn’t say anything.”

He grimaced and tapped a finger to his temple, and Erik understood.

“Okay then, where is it?”

Eleven followed the voice’s directions until they were underground and standing in front of a bright red door. It was familiar. They were dotted around Erdrea, and they were impossible to open. Erik had struggled for at least half an hour on one out near Hotto months ago, and not even his thieving skills could pick the enchanted lock.

“How am I-?”

_Close your eyes, and extend your arm. Tell your little friends to stand back._

He turned and shooed the others back before holding out his already glowing arm towards the door. With a deep breath he shut his eyes and felt the power surging within him multiply. He grabbed his wrist to hold his arm steady as the dark energy formed in his hand.

_Ready, aim…_

The mass of magic left his hand, and Eleven stumbled back with a yelp. 

_Fire._

It exploded against the door in a deafening blast that threw Eleven down onto his back. Erik was at his side in a flash, gently helping him up. He rested his hand on El’s back as they watched the purple flames fade away. The door was gone, and three chests sat in the middle of the room. 

With the purple orb added to their slowly growing collection, they were finally ready to set sail. The next stop was in Puerto Valor to stock up before heading through the strait and into the open ocean.

Sylvando slinked away the second they arrived, although he reassured the group he would be back after some errands. El didn’t pry, knowing that Sylvando was far too chummy to ditch them. It would be too much effort to reel him back in even if he did.

Rab made his way over to the Don’s manor to catch up with a friend while the rest of them stopped in the town square to look around. 

"So this is Puerto Valor. I must say, it is quite beautiful," Serena said, admiring the contrast of the colorful flowers against the white stone buildings.

El waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, it’s great. We have orbs to find.” He brushed past the group and walked down the town’s main stairs to the beach. He stopped where the water met the sand and plopped himself down, staring out at the ocean. Before he could appreciate the view a voice rang out in his head. His mouth twisted down into a frown as his hands dug into the sand.

_Nautica, the kingdom beneath the waves._

He shook his head as his eyes refocused. How in the hell were they supposed to go somewhere underwater? He tossed one of his handfuls of sand into the ocean with an unsatisfying splash.

Before he could contemplate it any further, Erik caught up and threw himself across El’s lap and looped his arms around his neck with a smile.

"So, what do you wanna do? We're gonna be here a while. Might as well enjoy it."

El took his remaining handful of sand and dumped it down the open front of Erik’s shirt. 

“I guess so. What even is there other than fruity drinks and sand?” He went to pick up more sand until Erik caught his wrist. He met his eyes with a playful grin.

"If you're gonna shove sand down my shirt you might as well just bury me in it. And there's a casino here, you dumbass." His open hand flicked the end of El's nose as he rolled his eyes.

“I’m sorry, I know you said something…” El maneuvered his free hand and dumped another pile of sand onto Erik. “But all I heard was ‘Please put more sand down my shirt’.” 

He began to laugh, closing his eyes and tilting his head back into the sunshine until he caught a handful to the face in retaliation. 

El slowly opened his eyes to glare at Erik, who was wearing a rather smug smile. One he decided he wanted to wipe off his face right now. He shook the sand out of his hair and picked Erik up, walking out into the ocean until he was about knee-deep. 

Then he unceremoniously tossed him into the water like a dead fish.

It had been more than a few moments and Erik still hadn’t surfaced. Worry began to tug at El’s mind until something grabbed his leg and dragged sharp nails across his calf as it pulled him down.

“Hey, what the-?!” His exclamation was cut short as he was yanked beneath the water. Strong arms wrapped around his waist as he floundered, disoriented from the sudden fall. They soon resurfaced, and El glared at Erik through his stringy, soaked hair. 

“I _guess_ I deserved that.”

Erik shook his head like a dog, his hair springing back into its usual shape. "Yeah, but you know what else you deserve?" He swept the hair out of El's face and dove in for a kiss, grinning like an idiot as he did so.

El pulled back, his face flushed. “Goddess, you’re cheesy.” 

He took Erik’s hand and led him out of the water where they could lay out on the shore to dry.

“How about we go swindle the casino out of their money?” His eyes held a playful glint, almost as if he actually had a plan for once.

Erik grinned in reply. “Sounds like a good plan, partner.” He stood and helped El to his feet, and they headed back towards town hand in hand.

Between the two of them, they had Puerto Valor’s casino in the palms of their hands in no time at all. With Erik’s sleight of hand expertise and El’s natural talent with poker, they’d racked up a mountain of tokens in a little over an hour.

El sat at the high-rollers table, Erik comfortably nestled in his lap. He rested his chin on Erik’s shoulder as he pushed a stack of tokens into the center of the table, his expression unreadable.

The dealer, a quite shocked bunny girl, looked around to the others seated around the table. “All bets in?” 

Everyone nodded, watching the cards get flipped over one by one. After the last card was shown, the table erupted into groans and accusations. Eleven smirked as he emptied the stack of tokens into his pouch. He leaned forward to whisper in Erik’s ear.

“That’s how you get it _done_.”

Erik shivered at the hot breath on his neck, leaning into it. “Not bad. Whatcha gonna get with it?”

El hummed to himself, glancing over to the exchange counter. Everything looked either too gaudy or unnecessary. He scooted Erik off his lap and stood up, hand to his chin in thought.

“Why don’t we just cash it out and go pig out on some fancy food? I’ve heard the seafood is killer here.”

Erik smiled, satisfied and relieved his idea didn’t include setting something on fire for once. "Sounds good. Sure that’s the _only_ thing you wanna do?" He stopped in front of the counter as El handed his stuffed prize bag over.

He took the pouch of gold that was placed on the counter in exchange and turned to face Erik with a raised eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

Erik’s laugh was strained, his nerves bleeding through. "C’mon, you know what I mean." 

He didn’t want to have to spell it out, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically bashful. They hadn’t done anything physical since their admitted feelings, and something about doing it now that those feelings were out in the open made Erik’s face flush.

As they stepped back outside into the Valorian sunshine, El still looked confused.

“I don’t, actually. Explain.”

Erik slapped his hand against his face, dragging it down with an embarrassed groan. He grabbed El’s hand without another word and led him back to the inn.

“Just shut up and follow me.”

He didn’t explain until they were upstairs, seated comfortably on the edge of the bed. 

It had been a while since they’d shared anything more than a kiss. The memory of what happened last time they tried to get intimate was still fresh in both of their minds. El had been overly cautious ever since.

"So it’s been a few weeks, and I was thinking maybe we could..." Erik looked up as his hand let go of El’s in favor of setting it on his knee, hoping he’d get the hint.

“Oh! Gods, I’m an idiot. If you’re ready, then...yeah. Sure.” 

_I’ve never been this awkward, what is happening?!_

He rested his hand over Erik’s in reassurance. "Did you have anything particular in mind?"

Erik gulped loud enough to move El’s attention to his face as it colored.

“I had an idea, yeah.” He took a moment before explaining, his brow furrowing as if he was trying to decide if he really wanted to ask.

“Remember back when we met, when you found out about my uh…” He trailed off, suddenly very interested in his shoes. He could feel El’s curious eyes on him, burning a hole through his head. Erik took a deep breath and babbled the rest out so quickly it took El a few seconds to understand what he’d said.

“...That I like to be tied up.”

El quietly moved so he was sitting behind Erik, and gently took his arms and folded them across his chest. He hesitated, waiting for permission to go any further. Erik leaned back into the touch and let his eyes fall closed. 

"Can you set it up so the bonds break with a safe word or something?" he mumbled.

“No, but…” El’s hand slid down to hold Erik’s wrist. Purple energy flowed from his fingertips and dissolved into Erik’s skin, just like back in Gallopolis when El had done the same. 

“Now you can break it whenever you need to. We won’t let what happened last time happen again.” He shook his head before he could dwell on the unpleasant memory for too long. 

Erik nodded, and pulled his tunic over his head before tossing it to the floor. He relaxed back against El’s chest before crossing his arms again. 

“Okay. I’m ready.”

El set the bonds in place, then rested his chin on Erik’s shoulder with a thoughtful hum. 

“I have another idea. What if we...go to dinner like this?” He looked up through his lashes, trying so hard to look innocent.

Erik choked on his own spit in shock. “What?! Go in public…stuck like this?” His face held a cherry hue, and his eyes were wide as he tried to imagine.

“Yes, just like that. And I have the perfect thing.”

El’s cool, confident demeanor was back with a vengeance. He dug around in his bag and held a plain, tan cloak out to show Erik. “Here. This should keep you covered.” He draped it around his shoulders and tied it shut around the back.

Erik carefully stood up and looked himself over in the mirror. It was far from his normal attire, but it did completely conceal his bound arms. The thought of going out like this was intimidating, but also strangely appealing. He took a deep breath before turning to El, his expression serious. 

“Alright, let’s give this a shot. But on one condition.”

El watched him from his spot on the bed. “And what would that be?”

Erik pouted, feeling embarrassed to admit it but continued on. He looked down at his feet and mumbled.

“I wanna cuddle later.”

El stood up and smoothed his hands over the shoulders of Erik’s cloak, humming in consideration. “I suppose I can concede to that.”

He opened the door, his arm extended in invitation. “Don’t forget, you can break them if you need.” He said it for Erik, but also for himself. 

They would be fine, nothing bad could happen this time. Not if he could help it.

Erik stepped out into the hallway with a nod. “Right.” He shifted his shoulders as he got comfortable. 

He would be lying if he said he wasn’t still a bit hesitant, but the reassurance and control made him more than willing to try it out. If things went south this time he could easily break and run. He leaned against El as they made their way down the stairs to try and keep his balance.

When they finally made it back outside, El wrapped an arm around Erik’s waist and led him down the street towards the beach. “I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready to tear into some food.”

Erik looked over and smiled. "Yeah, I am pretty hungry."

He yelped when his foot caught a loose piece of the walkway and his body lurched forward.

El tightened his grip when he felt him falter, catching him before he could lose balance. 

“Careful, there. Wouldn’t wanna mark up your pretty face.” He winked and carefully led him down the last few steps and onto the sand.

They soon arrived at the restaurant and were thankfully seated out on the deck and away from the noise. El pulled Erik’s chair out before sitting down across from him, elbows resting on the table with a beaming smile.

Erik sat with a slight wobble, a little unsteady until he got situated. He looked over at El’s smug face, and then down at the closed menu with a frown. 

"Gee, it would be nice to be able to read this." He rolled his eyes, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

El stuck his tongue out from across the table. “It’s not my fault you never learned how to read.” 

Erik’s frown deepened, unamused. "Please open the menu for me." 

"Only since you asked so nicely." El’s arm reached across the table, and he flipped the menu open to the main page with a deceivingly sweet smile.

They both held it together surprisingly well when their waiter arrived and cheerily took their orders. Once he was gone, El looked across the table with a smirk. 

"How are you holding up?"

"Just fine, why? Wanna see me squirm?" Erik immediately regretted the taunt as he felt the bonds squeeze him, forcing a squeak out of him.

“Maybe just a little.” He hid his smile behind taking a long sip from his drink. They hadn’t had this much fun in a while, and El felt butterflies in his stomach at the thought. It was the first time since Gondolia they felt like _them_.

The food soon arrived, and Erik shot El a look as if to say, _“Well now what, asshole?”_ There was no way he was going to try to eat without his hands. At least not in public.

El took it all in stride, dragging Erik’s plate across the table and carefully cutting the food into bite-sized pieces before he stabbed a piece and held out his fork. “Here you are, my dear.”

_My dear_? Erik's brain turned the term of endearment over in his mind. That one was new. He looked at El with his eyes narrowed before leaning forward to take another bite.

"You're enjoying this too much."

El tilted his head to the side. “Are you not?” He took a bite of his own meal before offering Erik another. 

Erik rolled his eyes and tried to hide the smile that tugged at his lips. "Maybe just a little." 

He took the next bite and gasped when the bonds tightened without warning. He surprisingly managed not to choke, shooting El a glare when his coughing fit finally died down. At least he could blame his reddening face on that instead of the rush he had from all of this.

The rest of their meal went on peacefully by their standards, until El spotted the rest of their group about to enter the restaurant. He quickly slid out of his seat and moved to help Erik up, pressing a glowing finger to his lips before leading him around the other side of the bar. He tugged Erik’s hood up and kept his head down, hoping they wouldn’t be noticed.

He passed their waiter on the way, and tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. “That group over there will cover our tab, we’ve gotta run.” He gave the others a smile and a wave before ducking out of the restaurant.

“Phew! That was close.” He noticed the annoyed look on Erik’s face before releasing the gag spell with a sheepish smile. “...Sorry. Almost forgot.”

Erik rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't have felt any differently if you did forget." He began to walk back in the direction of the inn, stopping when a hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned to see El look back at him with a pout.

“Aw, don’t be upset. I thought we were having fun!” He scooped Erik up into his arms and began to carry him the rest of the way back to the inn.

"Y-yeah. We are." His face shaded red as he glanced away. He didn’t want to let on how much he was enjoying this.

Back at the restaurant, the others weren’t too thrilled to learn they would be picking up the pair’s tab. Veronica sat with a huff and immediately ordered the strongest drink she could think of.

“I guess we should just be grateful they didn’t leave without paying this time. And what was with that weird cloak?” She rolled her eyes and rested her chin in her hand. “They were up to something.”

"Not our problem," Jade sighed, flicking her bangs out of her face as she glanced down at the menu. "As long as we're not dragged into it, I don’t care."

Serena folded her hands in her lap, her eyes far away and lost in thought. “If one of the orbs may be in Nautica, how in the world are we to get down there?”

Rab leaned forward with a knowing smile. “Aye, lucky for you, we have an idea on that one, lassie. We need to find a particular mermaid relic. Lorelei's harp.”

Her eyes widened at the mention of mermaids. “Do you think we’ll get to meet one? Oh, I’ve always wanted to see a mermaid!” She clapped excitedly and turned to her sister, who looked less than enthused.

“Just don’t embarrass me in front of the queen,” Veronica snorted.

Across town at the inn, El continued to carry Erik up the stairs and into their shared room. He shut and locked the door, but not before tossing his prize onto the bed. 

Erik grunted as his back hit the sheets. He looked up at El with an expectant grin. 

"Well?"

Even though they had just eaten, the hunger in El’s eyes was undeniable. It had been too long, and they were about to begin to make up for the lost time. He answered Erik’s question with action, pressing a domineering kiss to his lips as he pounced.

* * *

Erik yawned and stretched as he woke, startling a little when his vision came into focus and he saw El lying inches from him. Flashbacks from last night came bubbling back and his face flushed.

"I guess I'll wait for him to wake up," he mumbled, fighting the urge to brush a loose hair behind El’s ear as he snored. He instead scooted a little closer, turning himself over so his back was against El’s chest. He moved El's free arm to drape over him and then relaxed into the new position. He traced his hand along El’s arm, lost in thought. 

_I could get used to this..._

He almost screamed in shock when El pulled him closer and hugged him tightly against his chest.

El roused when his arm was shifted, his sleep-hazy brain pulling Erik closer like an extra pillow. He nuzzled his face into his hair and took a deep breath, and for a moment all of his senses were filled with his partner.

He'd never admit it out loud and especially not to Erik, but he really did enjoy the quiet, peaceful moments like these. Maybe one day he'd set aside the 'bad guy’ persona and just allow himself the simple comforts of a relationship. Even criminals settled down, right?

Erik relaxed once he heard the quiet, slow cadence of El’s breathing once more. He was going to enjoy this for as long as he could.

After drifting in and out of sleep for another half hour or so, El lifted his head and mumbled a gruff, “Morning," not loosening his hold around Erik’s waist.

Erik woke from another haze, mumbling the sentiment back before shifting a little again, to get more comfortable. He held his breath, waiting for El to move, or push him away...but he didn’t.

As they lay comfortably snuggled and unbothered, Erik’s mind wandered to thoughts of a small house with El, maybe owning a shop like Derk's. And then, another blue-haired blur ran in, jumping on their imagined bed with a grin just like Erik’s. He gasped and shot up as reality set back in, cut short by El's grip on him.

El rolled onto his back after being jostled, taking Erik with him. He kept his free arm wrapped firmly around his middle, still holding him against his chest as he rested on top of him. He flexed his right hand a few times, trying to get the blood back into it as the pin pricks of numbness started to move up his wrist and into his dead arm.

Erik masked his brief moment of panic with a laugh, and turned over so they were chest to chest.

"Am I your prisoner?" He tried to wiggle free, grabbing El's numb hand and massaging it with his thumb to help get the feeling back into it.

El let his head fall back onto the pillow and closed his eyes, free hand drawing patterns onto Erik’s back. “Something like that. Got a problem with it?” 

He opened his eyes and looked down, his vision filled with blue. Erik pillowed his chin between El’s collarbones and looked back up at him, stealing the breath right from his lungs. He was beautiful, mussed hair and sleepy gaze illuminated by the bit of mid-morning sunlight that had begun to filter through the curtains.

It was then that he suddenly realized that he had a problem. These feelings that he thought were fleeting, just something to keep things exciting for the time being; they were real, and they were beginning to root themselves so deep into his heart that he knew it was only a matter of time until he was a complete and utter fool for this man...if he wasn’t already.

Erik’s expression softened as he smirked. "You look like you just got the puff-puff of your life." He reached forward to press his lips to El's and recoiled with a cringe. "Your breath stinks."

“Deal with it.” El leaned down to kiss him again, laughing into the kiss at his pained expression.

Just then, a loud and much-too-forceful knock on their door startled them enough to jump apart. El rolled out of bed with a groan, already missing Erik’s warmth against his skin. After almost falling over trying to put on his pants, El answered the door with a frown. Veronica stood on the other side, arms crossed and expression snide.

“Meet us downstairs once you’re washed up and changed if you still want to use Sylvando’s boat. We’re ready to move out.”

Erik laughed as El shut the door with a grimace. He pointed over to the bathroom with a smile. "Race you to the shower?"

El shoved Erik back against the furniture knowing full well he wouldn’t be able to beat him in a test of speed. The rate at which his pants disappeared was rather impressive, though. 

He let Erik jump in first and start the water while he got undressed to join him. He pushed the curtain aside and laughed when Erik turned around and grabbed the other end to try and cover himself, feigning shock.

“What, don’t wanna share?”

Erik smirked and let the curtain fall back into place. "Just teasing you." He stepped back into the stream of warm water and held his arms out. 

"Come see me."

El’s gaze traveled from his wet hair down his body, and back up again. 

“Oh, I see you.” He took a step forward into his arms, his own comfortably wrapping around Erik’s waist. He tilted his head to the side, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 

“This isn’t going to be a quick shower at all, is it?”

Erik leaned back against the wall with El still in his arms. He gently moved his wet hair out of his face and pressed his lips to El's.

"We could just stay in here for a while to relax. Would be a nice change of pace."

El hummed in thought. “I suppose so. Going soft on me, are you?” He looked down for a moment, a sly grin on his face as he met Erik’s eyes again. “Well...not _all_ of you it seems.” 

Erik blushed, curse his traitorous body. "Well I'm certainly not taking care of it here. I want an actual shower for once." He reached behind El’s head for the soap.

“Fair enough. We’re probably past due for a proper wash.” He took the soap from Erik when he was finished, lathering up his hair. 

Erik scrubbed at El’s back with an absentminded look as the steam melted the stress out of his body. Sure, this could have been sexy, but right now he wanted to take things a bit slower.

They were just about finished when there was another harsh knock at the door. They could hear Veronica shouting from outside.

“You two better hurry the fuck up, or we’re leaving without you!”

El broke out into giggles and reluctantly turned off the water. “You know what she’s thinking.”

His gentle laughter was contagious, Erik joining in as he reached out for their towels. He tossed El’s over his head with a grin. His heart skipped a beat when El finished drying his hair, the strands sticking out every which way. _Cute_. 

"And for once, she's wrong."


	8. When the Sun Goes Down

The further they sailed from Puerto Valor, the more Sylvando seemed to relax. Something about that place clearly didn’t sit right with him. Erik could relate, and decided it was better not to pry.

After a run-in with a lovesick mermaid, they soon ended up on the shores of Lonalulu with another pointless errand. El looked around with a touch of disdain. He was tired of the constant side-tracking. It seemed like their new companions couldn’t say no to a person in need, and any objections he had were tossed aside for the ‘greater good’.

“You could use some good karma,” Veronica had said with a hand on her hip and a cocky grin. 

They spoke with the locals and found the man they were looking for, who ended up being two generations too late. The mermaid’s lover was long gone, with only his grandson still around to tell the tale. 

By the time their business in the small, tropical paradise was finished, El was more than ready to get moving again. Unfortunately for him, everyone else insisted on staying the night under the guise of needing a break. He never understood why people loved the beach so much. All sand was good for was getting into places it shouldn’t be.

The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a haunting glow on the water. El sat just where the water met the shore, digging his feet into the hard-packed wet sand with a sigh. His mind had been quiet since they’d left Puerto Valor, but that didn’t mean it would stay that way.

Erik padded his way across the beach and perked up when he spotted El hiding under the pier. He hummed in greeting as he sat, and shot him a grin as he tossed a bag of coins into El’s satchel. "Too easy.” His eyes narrowed and he scooted a little closer, until his shoulder bumped against El’s. "What's got you down, partner? Miss me that much?"

El snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure.” 

He grabbed a seashell and threw it out into the water. “It’s this whole stupid journey. It feels never-ending and I…” He leaned back and looked up at the sky. “I want to stay somewhere for more than a few days, you know?” 

Erik leaned his head on El’s shoulder and looked up at the moon with a sigh. "I guess I see what you mean, but I've never really wanted to stay in one place for too long." He sat back up to look him in the eye. "After we get that stupid sword and shut that voice in your head up, we can find somewhere and settle down for a few weeks, okay? A little retreat, just you and me. That's a promise." He looked up at the stars to try and hide his growing blush.

“You’re that far gone already? I must be _really_ good in bed.” El laid back, arms folded behind his head. He was also that far gone, but that wasn’t something he would readily admit. The thought of staying somewhere with Erik for a while, just the two of them...it sounded like a dream.

Erik grabbed his hand gently and threaded their fingers together. “Hah, you couldn’t live a day without me. You can't hide it from me.” His eyes went back to the sky, and he settled into the shared comfort. He kept his eyes on the emerging stars as he spoke. 

“I used to be a pirate. No matter where we were, the stars were always there. Even when everything else eventually wasn’t.” He sighed and gently ran his thumb over El’s hand. Things had changed so much since then, but a day hadn’t gone by where he hadn’t thought of her.

El turned his head to the side to look at Erik. “A pirate? That’s interesting. What made you quit?” The change in conversation was a welcomed distraction to his own mounting worries. He imagined Erik standing on the bow of a ship, telescope in hand and a fancy plumed hat on his head.

Erik shook his head. "It's not important. Let’s just say I won’t be going back anytime soon.” He never talked about it because he wasn’t ever prepared for the questions. His anxious hands began to trace a pattern into the sand.

After a minute or two of uncomfortable silence, El’s mind wandered back to what the voice had last said. He didn’t give a shit about Yggdrasil or the rest of Erdrea, but if anything happened to Erik, whoever was at fault would have some hell to pay. He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. “Erik...do you trust me?”

Erik nodded, not taking his eyes off the sky. “Course I do. Wouldn’t still be here if I didn’t.” He stood up and offered El his hand, sensing his unease. "Let’s go check out that cliffside place. Has to be better than sitting here worrying."

El took Erik’s hand and looked back out to sea as another shiver ran down his spine. The voice was long gone, but he could still hear the echo. He let Erik tug him up back up the stairs towards the lights and sounds of the village.

* * *

Everything was too loud. El’s eyes slowly opened to the sound of someone stomping around above deck. He felt a warmth curled into his side, and with a glance down his annoyance quickly melted into something much softer. He gave them both credit for making it back to the ship with how disastrously tipsy they’d both been. The remains of a headache still clung to the edges of El’s mind, but much more _pleasant_ memories began to filter in as well. 

Erik refused to open his eyes against the offending light streaming through the porthole, and buried his face further into El’s side. “Why do my legs ache?”

El brushed Erik’s hair out of his face and tucked his chin against his shoulder. “I think you know _exactly_ why.” He felt Erik hum against his skin.

“Worth it.”

The only thing that was able to drag them out of bed was the prospect of a warm breakfast, and Veronica’s incessant stomping above deck. It was like she knew exactly where their room was from where she was standing. Erik stood in front of the mirror with a half-hearted sigh. His fingers brushed over the pattern of red marks down his neck. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time he’d sported them, but he knew their companions would say something. They always did. “El, you _know_ my shirt doesn’t cover this.” 

Before he could complain any further, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and El’s chin rested comfortably on his shoulder. He stared back at their reflection with a smirk before brushing a feather-light kiss to Erik’s jaw. 

“Mine.”

* * *

The trek up to the Eyrie would have been more annoying than it was worth if it wasn’t for the orb. The second they were back on solid ground Erik stopped and sniffed the air, his body going rigid with caution.

"Figures that this place would be loaded. Which means there are plenty of monsters protecting it. Stay on your toes."

El watched him sniff around with an amused smile. All of Erik’s little quirks never got old. The fight up to the cliffs wasn’t too treacherous, but the birds guarding the orb weren’t as easy as the rest. With some quick thinking and some brute force they were dealt with, and another orb was secured. 

The party opted to stay in the Eyrie overnight to rest up. Their plan was to stick around for a few days and train now that the area was cleared out of anything vaguely threatening. It was the perfect desolate venue to test El’s abilities and hopefully learn how to contain them when his unwelcome mind guest came knocking.

That night El went to bed earlier than usual. He lay staring up at the canvas, unable to will himself to sleep. Frustrated, he got up to take a walk, but froze at the sound of idle chatter. He stopped before moving the flap, hearing Erik’s hushed voice.

“Do you really think you’ll be able to help him?”

El didn’t hear what Rab and Veronica said in reply. He sat back and ran his hands through his hair, only then noticing that they were shaking.

Erik really did care. After everything he’d done, Erik still wanted to help him. El could feel his heartbeat in his ears, and the repetitive thudding made it hard to concentrate on anything else. He was a danger to Erik and everyone else, and if the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach was anything to go by, it was only going to get worse. He had to learn to control the outbursts before he did something he couldn’t fix.

Another restless night bled into morning. El slowly opened his heavy eyes and buried his head into his pillow with a groan as Rab called into their tent. "Aye laddie! After breakfast let's get ye out for some practice, alright?"

He l rolled over and nudged Erik before sitting up to get dressed. El knew this training was necessary, but the lingering fear that something terrible was going to happen clawed at the back of his mind.

“Today’s gonna suck.”

Erik stretched and sat up, pulling on his clothes before looking over at El with worried frown. "Hey, you can do this. I believe in you." He spared a wink before he tied off his sash and ducked out into the morning sun.

El watched him go, and tried his best to believe him. After a few quiet moments of trying to convince himself he really could do this, he followed Erik out and excused himself to meditate while breakfast was handled. Rab had been teaching him how to center his mind, and it brought a comforting clarity he hadn’t felt since leaving Cobblestone. He was sure he’d definitely need it with today’s agenda.

"So, how worried are you?" Veronica leaned towards him, her grin hiding her own nerves. 

Erik rolled his eyes as he handed her a steaming plate of food. "As much as you."

She bit back a growl and took the plate with a glare. "I am _not_ nervous! You're just delusional!" It wasn’t long before their bickering escalated to full-on shouting.

El’s eye twitched as the sounds of Erik and Veronica’s incessant arguing drifted over to where he was sitting beside the stream. He settled in and tried to focus, but the bickering only grew louder. His jaw clenched, and his eyes flew open to reveal bright purple.

“Enough! Holy burning Yggdrasil do you two ever shut the _hell_ up?”

The pair froze at the sudden outburst and quieted down, muttering apologies before continuing their breakfasts. 

El let out a labored sigh. At this rate he was more likely to level the Eyrie than anything else. He forced the rest of the air out of his lungs and took in a deep, steadying breath as he tried to regain control over his anger. Breathe in, breathe out. Block out the noise, the voices, and the sounds. 

As he slowly slipped into focus, he could hear it. A faint hum in the back of his mind, like static. If he stayed in the trance long enough, he could dim it down until it was almost unnoticeable. Luckily the rest of the camp stayed quiet and conflict-free until breakfast was over, and El came to with a gasp when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Eat up, you’ll need it later.” Rab handed him a steaming bowl of food, and El took it with a grateful smile as he got to his feet.

“I found the noise, and I finally think I know what you mean about shutting it out. I don’t know if it’ll work when it’s trying to pilot me around, but I guess we’ll just have to find out.” He shuddered at the thought. El wasn’t hungry, but he forced the food down anyway.

Rab led the party out to a small clearing that would serve as their makeshift training grounds. Erik hung at the edges as the others gathered around while Rab explained to El about what they planned to do.

El nodded along to the instructions, shaking his arms at his sides to try and keep the nerves at bay. He set his stance and closed his eyes, drifting back into a meditative state. He began to relax, and made his mind vulnerable in an attempt to goad the voice back.

_Come and get me, you bastard. All of my accomplices are here, and they’d love to meet you._

A few moments of silence passed, and El almost let his guard down. Just before he did, he felt the edges of his vision fade, and a burning sensation began to move from his head down the rest of his body. He clenched his fists and grit his teeth, trying his best to keep his breathing steady.

Rab and Veronica watched on from a few feet away, sensing the evil energy as soon as it made itself present.

“Brace yourselves, this could get ugly!”

Erik took a few tentative steps closer. “C’mon El, you can do this.” He glanced down and noticed El’s mark started flickering, almost as if something was struggling to break through.

El had never asked Yggdrasil for anything aside from ending his cruel existence, so when he felt an unusually holy presence wash over him, he tensed up at the unfamiliar feeling. The burning dulled to a warm glow, and the fog in his head faded until he could see Erik standing in front of him. The power flowing through him continued to build as storm clouds rolled in, bringing with them a steady rain. El held his hand up towards the sky, and watched as his mark shimmered pale yellow instead of its usual purple.

Sparks danced at his fingertips, and he stumbled back a few paces from the others as his vision went white. The energy that surged from his hand called down a bolt of lightning big enough to take out the most vicious of monsters, leaving a giant scorch mark on the ground once the blinding light faded away.

El collapsed to his knees, his breathing fast and ragged. Erik rushed to his side and offered his hand as he helped El back to his feet. He threw his arm around his shoulders and let him lean into his side to rest. "Are you okay?! That was insane."

He clung to Erik’s side as his breathing steadied out. “I...I think so. Yeah, that was pretty crazy. I didn’t even know I could do that.” He looked down at his hand, and there wasn’t any evidence of what had just happened other than the faint, fading glow from his mark. His shock slowly morphed into hope as he looked around at the others’ encouraging smiles.

“Maybe...maybe we really can do this.”

Rab clapped a hand over El’s shoulder, making both him and Erik sway unsteadily. "That was the power of Yggdrasil, no doubt about it! She’s still in there, just as I suspected."

Another few attempts to channel El’s dormant link to Yggdrasil went without a hitch, and his Luminary power now worked in spades. Hopeful for the first time in a long while, the group helped a completely exhausted El to the docks as they prepared to set off for Sniflheim.

* * *

El lay staring up at the ceiling as his mind wandered. As tired as he was, he couldn’t seem to quiet his mind enough to truly rest. Today’s training had gone well, but he still had a feeling it wasn’t going to be enough. Yggdrasil’s power was mighty, but he had no idea how to control it, or how exactly to call on it when he needed it, either. What if the voice was just waiting for the right moment to strike and completely take him over for good? El tossed and turned while the worries continued to nag, and he eventually fell into a restless sleep.

Erik stared at the murky ocean water while his mind wandered back to Sniflheim. He wasn't ready to go back. Wasn't ready to be so close to her again. Maybe there was some way he could stay on the boat and just avoid it entirely.

A sudden tap on his shoulder made him reflexively reach for his blade as he whirled around to see who it was. El looked at him with tired eyes and a poor attempt at a smile.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?”

Whatever he wanted to talk about, it didn’t seem pleasant as he worried his lip and cast his eyes to the ground. Erik grabbed his hands to get his attention, but failed to hide the unease behind his smile.

"Sure. Let’s go."

An unusual gloom hung over El as he led them back down to his room. He sat next to Erik on the edge of the bed and folded his hands in his lap. “Listen, I know the training went well, but I have a really bad feeling. If I lose control like I did back in Gondolia I want you-” He swallowed hard, like what he was trying to say was laced with shards of glass. He grabbed Erik’s hand, to try and keep his own from shaking.

“I want you to take me out. For your safety, and the others’.”

Erik yanked his hand away with a scowl. “Excuse me, You _what_?!” He stood up and turned toward the door, his arms firmly crossed over his chest. “This is a great prank, El. You can say you’re joking now.”

“I’m serious, Erik. I know you know how, and I need you to promise me you will. I won’t be _me_ anymore, and I can’t-” He took a moment to get his breathing back under control as the panic rose in his throat. “I can’t hurt you again. I won’t.”

Erik whirled around and met El’s eyes with fury. “And _I_ can’t hurt _you_. Even if you lose control again, it‘s still you in there. You’re just his puppet, and I can't lose you. Not now.” He took a shuddering breath as his heart raced.

El’s eyes burned with unshed tears. “You don’t understand. He told me the next time he’d make me kill you. I know I won’t be able to fight it off, and I can’t come back from that and see you...you-” He broke off into a sob as the fear and frustration finally got the better of him. He knew what he was asking was unreasonable, but he couldn’t let the ever-lingering threats control him any longer. He needed a plan. He glanced up at Erik, his face stained with fresh tears. “Please.”

Erik knelt down and wiped them away as his own began to fall. “No, El. Against my better judgement, I _love_ you.”

The words echoed in El’s head until he began to feel dizzy. They’d been dancing around it for so long, and now was probably the worst time to have said it, but Erik never did fight fair. El looked down at his shoes, and his shoulders sagged with a heavy sigh. He reached up and brushed his thumb across Erik’s cheek before roughly grabbing hold of his chin.

“El, what are you-”

“I love you too. And I'm sorry,” he whispered. He blinked hard, and the blue in his eyes shaded into purple.

“If I lose control again, I need you to kill me. That’s an order.” He let go and turned away, muffling another sob against his hand.

Erik felt the familiar fog of the spell sinking in, and his entire body shook in anger. He stumbled back and reached for the door with an unsteady hand, not even bothering to look back as he spoke.

“You have no idea what love is.” He slammed the door behind him and tore through the ship, trying to get as far away from El as possible. He eventually slumped back behind a stack of crates in the cargo hold, letting his head fall into his hands as he grieved for his sister, for El, and for his freshly shattered heart.


	9. Through the Valley of Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***CONTENT WARNING*** 
> 
> Hey guys this chapter has some sword violence. Nothing is inherently graphic, but injuries and deaths will be discussed. Mind the tags!
> 
> This chapter is gonna jump back and forth from Erik to El a bit while they're separated.

Their arrival in Sniflheim came all too quickly. The group searched the ship from top to bottom, and with no sign of Erik they left under El’s direction. The others were hesitant, but El knew wherever Erik was, he probably wasn’t coming back. He tried to convince himself it was for the best. He was safe this way.

Once the ship was empty, Erik emerged from his hiding spot and jumped into one of the remaining dinghys. He carefully let himself down into the water and began to row. His course was a simple one, and his destination was already in sight as he rounded the corner.

Erik brought his boat to a stop next to a large ship covered in round shields, and braced himself as he stepped up onto the docks. He fought against the old mannerisms and memories he held here, and took a shaky breath as he pressed his hands against the door of the main hall. His hands shook, and he exhaled a quiet promise. 

_For Mia_. 

He straightened his back, kept his hand steady over his knives, and pushed the door open with a scowl.

“Chief.”

The chief and a few others turned to look when they heard the door slam open. Annoyance turned into amusement when they recognized their guest. “Well, well. Look what we’ve got ‘ere. The runt’s back for more punishment.” He cracked his knuckles as he squared up against Erik. His frame still towered over him, but not quite as much as before. 

Erik rolled his shoulders with a smirk. “Nah, I’m just here to take your place. You and me, right now.” He strode to the center of the room, his knives at the ready. “Let’s go.”

The Chief raised an eyebrow at his brashness, and took the axe that was handed to him without taking his eyes off of his target. With one last huff he charged forward, a battle cry filling the room. 

But speed always won out over strength.

Erik dodged with a duck. "I spent the last five years fighting brutes just like you." He sheathed his knives and grabbed the axe from the chief’s hands with ease as he skirted around him. "And the one thing I learned from all of the running..."

He stood upright with the axe helfted over his shoulder as the Chief spun around in surprise and anger. "All of the thieving, hunger, and _living_!" He easily dodged as the chief blindly swung at him. Erik saw his opening and slammed the butt of the axe right where the chief’s center of gravity was displaced. "Was that the bigger they are…"

The Chief hit the ground with a thud, and Erik held the axe up to his throat with a snarl.

"The harder they fall."

Hatred burned in the chief’s eyes, but he held his hands up in surrender. “Seems like our runt finally grew a pair and learned something.” The others stood frozen in shock, not sure what to make of what happened.

Erik spat in his face before letting off. "My show now. We’ll be changing things around here, but I have some other business to attend to first.” He held the axe back up to the former chief’s throat with a threatening glare. “You so much as lay a hand on any of the grunts, and I’ll end you. Now if you'll excuse me…"

He stalked out the back to the open clearing, and shoved open the shabby wooden door barricading his old home. His heart weighed heavy at the sight of the golden statue still inside, just where he’d left her. "I'm home Mia." He held her frozen hand, and sat down by her feet. “You won’t believe the adventure I’ve had.”

* * *

El’s heart broke a little more when he realized Erik really had ditched them. As soon as he set foot on the docks, he felt the telltale fog begin to creep into his mind. He held his head with one hand and wrenched his eyes shut, thinking back to when he summoned the lighting. He grit his teeth against the sensation, but it was no use.

“C’mon Yggdrasil, help me out here!”

All he heard was chilling laughter as the edges of his vision blurred.

_You’ve meddled enough. It is past time we wrap up this charade_.

El dropped to his knees with a cry, both hands white-knuckled and fisted in his hair. The others shuffled back in fear, and Serena cautiously summoned a protective barrier around them as they watched him unravel.

_You thought you could control me? Precious. You are mine to use, Darkspawn. Nothing more than a pawn_.

His eyes glazed over, and dark energy began to flow from his hands as he slowly got to his feet. He breezed past his companions, violet fire at his fingertips. The friendly merchant standing by the gates didn’t stand a chance, and in the blink of an eye he was reduced to dust. Without a second glance El strode through, incinerating anyone who dared stand in his way with a wicked smile.

The others could only watch on in horror as he disappeared into the city.

“His energy is far too dangerous. We won’t be able to stop him!” Serena let the barrier down with a sad sigh as screams began to sound from beyond the gates.

Rab shook his head solemnly with a frown. “Aye, unfortunately you’re right. I was afraid a’ this. He’s been overridden. We need to get to the Royal Library, and fast. There still may be a way to save him. Evil possession or not, that’s still my grandson. Come along, now!”

* * *

“And that’s why I came back.” Erik's smile held a bitter edge as he reached forward to hug the statue of his sister. “I’m sorry I never found a way to fix you. I thought I had something, but then...” His fingers stopped over the outline of her necklace, and he traced over the largest gem as he fought back tears. “I miss you more than the oceans blue, Mia.”

After he spoke her name a purple glow sparked at his fingertips, and quickly turned to a pale yellow. A gust of cold air blew through the cave, ruffling the fabric that covered the back exit. The sun was beginning to sink in the sky, had he really been here that long? 

Memories from when El had given him traces of his magic suddenly flashed across his mind, and he withdrew his hand from the statue like he’d been shocked. He leaned closer, and knew he had to be imagining the small, red speck among the gold. Curious, Erik replaced his hand over the necklace and watched the faint light grow brighter as the wind kicked up again. The glow grew until it filled the cave, and their shabby home faded away. He blinked his eyes, but the vision only grew clearer.

He was standing on the lawn of that fancy school they visited not too long ago. The sun shone brightly overhead, and the sea of flowers bobbed in the breeze. He saw Mia standing by the large, wooden doors in the uniform, grumpy but secretly thrilled. He waved her off on her first day with tears in his eyes, and then he was hugging El as they talked about how excited they were for her to start school. _El_. 

He flinched back with a gasp as the light faded, and Mia stumbled forward. Erik reached out to catch her while his mind struggled to comprehend what had just happened.

Mia looked up at her brother with a weak laugh. “You look different.”

Erik smiled through the tears that were already streaming down his face. “And you’re just as you should be.”

Her eyes drifted shut, tired from the strain she’d been under for years. Erik scooped her up in his arms and began to make his way back to the hideout when his feet began to move on their own. 

“No, no no no-”

He tried to stop, but they kept moving until he was back outside. He carefully set Mia down, ordering someone to wrap her in something warmer as the familiar fog of blind obedience bled into his senses. His hands itched over the knives sheathed on his hip, and he hopped into his boat with a determined rage crawling through his veins. 

“This is what you wanted, El. I hope you’re ready.”

* * *

El tore through his way through Sniflheim, completely under the evil entity’s control. By the time he reached the castle he’d already created a warpath, the few unfortunate souls who had gotten in his way now unresponsive. He easily took out the castle guards on duty and made his way down to the treasury where his final prize sat. 

The final orb bagged, he turned and swung blindly with his sword when he heard a gasp from the doorway. When he looked up, he met the shocked and pained eyes of Queen Frysabel herself, his sword stuck through her. He retracted it with mock surprise, and casually stepped over her once she fell to the floor in a heap.

“Oops! I’m ever so clumsy.”

With no one left to stand in his way, he burst out the back of the city and into the Snaerfelt. With all six orbs in his possession, the only thing left to do was get up to Yggdrasil and finish the job. As he crested the hill, a shadowed figure dropped from the trees and had a knife at his throat in the blink of an eye.

The entity smiled. "Ah, the thief. I've been expecting you."

He wrenched himself out of Erik’s grasp and tossed him to the ground. "I know about your little _contingency_ , and it won't save either of you." He snapped his fingers, and the spell was broken. He planted his boot in the center of Erik’s chest, and the tip of his sword grazed his collarbone. He tilted his head to the side, and his expression was filled with mock pity. He didn’t look like El at all.

"Poor thing. You couldn't have chosen a worse partner. And now you'll perish by your beloved's own hand." 

A purple glow spread from his hand down to his sword, and the tip that still touched Erik’s skin began to burn. He lifted the weapon with a sneer, ready to deliver the final blow.

As the sword drove downward Erik made a last-ditch effort and rolled to the side.

He should've rolled the other way. He shouldn't have ever agreed to come along on this stupid journey. He shouldn't have ever met El.

A searing pain ripped through his left shoulder as the blade sliced a sizable gash. Erik felt the blood begin to pool along his torso, and his consciousness quickly began to fade. He tried to flex for his knife with his right, but all of his strength was sapped while a curse began to crawl its way across his skin. He was trapped. Doomed to die here, alone. 

The entity barely spared him a glance as he turned to leave, carelessly tossing the sword still stained with Erik’s blood in the snow beside him. "That should be more than enough to keep you out of the way. Consider this mercy."

Erik glanced over at his left arm and watched the sickly purple slowly spread. He knew this was the end, and as his consciousness faded ever faster, all he could think about was Mia and how he’d failed her again.

* * *

Jade was the first one to spot Erik in the distance. The closer they got, the more quickly they moved with worry. The snow around him was too dark. Why wasn't he moving? Serena and Rab dropped to their knees in the tainted snow beside him. It was much worse than it looked on the surface.

And it looked pretty bad to begin with.

Veronica stopped in her tracks at the sight of the snow. She turned to the side and put a hand on her chest, coughing as she fought down a gag. Serena's glowing hands began to stanch the blood while Rab tried to identify the curse still creeping up Erik's left arm.

"This cut, it's too deep. I don't think I can fully patch it on my own." She looked to Rab in a panic, and he sadly shook his head in reply. 

"No need. We have to take it."

Her mouth fell slack in disbelief. "Surely it's able to be fixed! I just need-" she stopped when Rab held up his hand and pointed to the bright purple snaking up Erik's veins as they spoke.

"He's been cursed, and it's killing his nerves. If we leave it, the poor lad's done for. If we stop the spread, he'll be spared. Understand?"

Serena nodded solemnly. "Yes. Understood, Mr. Rab." She looked over to where the rest of their group watched on in distress. "Mr. Sylvando, could you come here for a moment? And please do bring your sharpest sword."

Sylvando brought what she requested and leant down beside them. "Are…you asking _me_ to do this? Because I’m not sure that I-"

Rab took the sword with a gentle frown. "Of course not, son. I've seen a thing or two on my travels, and this is far from the worst of it. At least the poor boy's out cold." 

Sylvando nodded and returned to comforting the others. "Let's let them do what they have to and find some firewood, okay darlings? I think we've seen enough here."

As soon as the others out of sight, Rab looked to Serena. "Turn away if you must, lass."

With the curse no longer threatening Erik's life, they were able to patch him up without issue. But he'd still need several days of rest before they could even think of moving on. 

The only problem was where they were stuck. They couldn't stay in the Snaerfelt, and as luck would have it, the Arborian highlands weren't more than half a day's hike away.

Serena leaned her back against a tree, both physically and emotionally exhausted. The others returned soon after, and once they noticed what had happened, their pained expressions were the final straw as Serena burst into tears. Jade and Veronica dropped down into the snow to console her while Rab filled Sylvando in on their travel plans. 

"I'm so terribly sorry! If it wasn't for that awful curse we could have done more, but-" She sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. 

"You did everything you could. He's alive, Serena. It's horrible, but it could have been much worse."

Sylvando offered her a hug as well, casting a glance over her shoulder to Rab. "I know the poor dear needs to rest, but we’ve got to keep moving. There's a baddie on the loose and we’ve got to teach him a lesson!"

Rab shook his head and glanced over to where Erik was resting where they’d cleared him a spot beneath a tree. "The lad can't move in such a state. The wound needs time to properly heal."

Sylvando put a finger to his chin in thought, and gasped dramatically when an idea came to him. "Hold tight. I think I have just the thing." 

Thanks to Sylvando’s quick thinking they were able to fashion a makeshift stretcher with fallen tree limbs and their tent canvas. It wasn’t perfect, but it would be enough to get them to Arboria.

* * *

Erik woke in a bed, and the smell of marble and ivy filled his nose. He took a deep breath just to make sure that he could, and when a sharp pain shot out from his shoulder, he knew he wasn’t dead. He slowly opened his eyes and tried to reach out for his knife. His arm didn't respond. That was strange. Maybe he’d slept on i-

His eyes met the bandages wrapped around his left shoulder, and he shrieked.

Everyone else tensed at the sound, and Serena was at his bedside in an instant. She kept her voice low and soothing to try and break through the shock. She gently touched his good shoulder in an attempt to ground him.

“I’m so sorry, Erik. We did our best, and it was a miracle we reached you in time to save your life at all. Please forgive me.”

He turned his face away, tears welling. "Maybe you shouldn't have saved me, then."

Sylvando knelt beside them and reached for Erik’s hand. “Erik, honey. What would Mia think? I’m sure she’d be happy to see you no matter what.”

Erik’s eyes widened. “Oh, fuck. I left her at the docks back in Sniflheim. The spell took over and I just left her there.” He grit his teeth at the not-so-distant memory. El would certainly have some hell to pay if Erik ever saw him again. He’d make sure of it.

“Ronnie and I will go back and get her.” He turned to Veronica and she nodded, oddly quiet. “You just stay here and get better, alright?” They bid farewell to the others and headed out on horseback, hoping to be back with Mia by the evening.

Serena felt Erik’s forehead with the back of her hand. At least the fever had broken. “Would you like some time to yourself? I will have to come back and bother with your bandages in a few hours though, I’m afraid.”

Erik swung his legs to the side of the bed and forced himself up into a sitting position. “I wanna walk around.”

She watched him carefully. He didn’t falter or wobble, so she decided a bit of fresh air couldn’t hurt if he was feeling up to it. Serena offered her arm for support and helped him out of bed. “Alright, then. Let’s find you something to eat.

* * *

El's form stood at the altar below Yggdrasil and watched in annoyance as a swirling bridge of light paved his path forward. Just as the legends stated, the power of the six orbs combined had unlocked access to mighty Yggdrasil herself. He trudged his way up, eyes still glowing a concerning shade of purple. He made his way through the twisting vines and branches, and soon stood in front of the world tree’s sacred heart. The sword of light floated within.

His shoulders slumped in relief. He was finally here, and this could finally be _over_. 

Mordegon emerged from the shadows and regarded his loyal puppet with a cruel sneer as he released his hold. El fell to the ground in an exhausted heap, his energy completely spent from being held captive in his own body.

“So we meet at last, Darkspawn. Shame it couldn’t be on your own terms.”

El glared up at him, finally coming face to face with the monster who’d tormented him his entire life. How long had he been out? Where were his companions?

Where was Erik?

Angry tears burned in the corners of his eyes. “What did you do to them?”

Mordegon pointed to the heart with a frown. “The sword, if you will. Our time grows short.”

El slowly got to his feet and approached the heart with shaky steps. The mark on his hand glowed the same pale yellow it had when he’d summoned lightning, and the vines retracted. He reached into the heart and grabbed the sword. This was it, the last thing he had to do until he was finally free. He handed it over, and narrowed his eyes as Mordegon looked it over with satisfaction. 

“Excellent work, even if I did have to do some of it myself.” The sword began to morph into a weapon of pure darkness in his hands, and he moved to grab El by the collar.

“But I’m afraid your usefulness has just run out.”

With a wicked grin, he stabbed El clean through the chest with the changed blade. El’s eyes went wide, the breath stolen from him as a white-hot pain erupted from the fresh wound. He tried to cry out, but his lungs wheezed in protest as he struggled to breathe. 

To make certain he wouldn’t be an issue moving forward, Mordegon tossed the injured darkspawn off of the edge of the world tree like a discarded scrap of garbage. He was more of a liability than he was worth at this point.

El couldn’t find the energy to scream as he fell, and his consciousness quickly faded to nothing before he could feel the impact of hitting the ground. Cold and alone, El knew this was how he deserved to go.

* * *

As Erik and Serena stepped outside, the sky shook with a large crack. There weren’t any clouds in sight, so it couldn’t have been a storm. Serena looked up, and her eyes searched the skyline. 

It wasn’t lightning. It was the snapping of _branches_. The nearby townsfolk pointed up at Yggdrasil in terror as darkness spread out from the tree like shockwaves. Serena gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. “Yggdrasil!”

Erik watched the tree begin to make its descent and groaned. “El’s up there.”

Serena turned to look at him in shock. “You don’t think he…?” She considered the possibility until a horrible sound drew her eyes back up to the sky. The ground shook as if it was going to split open, and they almost lost their balance. “We’ve got to leave, Erik.”

Erik agreed and grabbed her hand before he tried to take off running, but she tugged him back the other way, towards the inn. Moments later they emerged with Rab and Jade, and she quickly casted her best attempt at a zoom spell. She watched them all phase out of sight, and desperately hoped it would be enough to save them. Her casting wasn’t as good as Veronica’s, but it had to be enough.

It had to be.


End file.
